Invisible Scars
by BG Sparrow
Summary: [Full summary inside] Everyone has an invisible scar. Whether it'd be from love, war, or childhood, invisible scars may be cut the deepest and hurt the most. But every scar has a story. And no story is alike in any way. FrodoOC.
1. The Shire

(A/N – Wow. You have been brave enough to click on this story and see what it's all about, and I thank you! Now, would you be brave enough to hang around read it? And possibly consider reviewing it? Haha… It's okay; I'm not _trying_ to freak you out, though I'm probably doing a great job of it. Sorry. I just want a chance! LoL. All right, I'll stop. The full summary's below just there, and I appreciate all and any feedback! I also reply to my reviewers because it's common decency. I hope you're intrigued to read more, because so much more develops after this. Thanks! And just to be clear, the top half of every chapter is when the hobbits are younger, and the bottom half follows the story of the One Ring. A different set-up for me, but I enjoy it. I hope you do as well! Also, I've made the hobbits similar in age. It's based mainly on the movie, but I'll still be throwing in some book references here and there. I hope it suits!)

**. X .**

Angie is not like the other hobbits. You'd expect her to be girly and lazy and troublesome-free, but she wants adventure, helps cause the trouble, and her best friends are all boys (Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin to be exact). Only two things she hadn't expected have caught up with her - her feelings for Frodo and the War of the One Ring. Now she refuses to leave Frodo and the Fellowship to go to Mordor without her, and all the while, Angie's only desire is also watching her, wondering why she has grown so much more than a friend to him.  
Now Frodo, Sam, and Angie must brave the powers of the alluring power of the Ring as they make for Mount Doom. Their pasts are revealed, and after all they've been through, will Angie and Frodo finally get what they've always wanted? Or will the Ring destroy them and their dreams as well as all of Middle-Earth?

**. Chapter One .**  
..The Shire..

_Out of breath as they ran into a wide open field under a sky of twinkling diamonds, three small hobbits fell to the cool grass on their stomachs listening intently as the barking subsided far off from where they lay. They looked at each other and started to laugh when they were certain they were safe._

_"Close one," the first said. "You almost didn't make it out of there alive, Pip," Merry laughed._

_"Nope, but I did make it out with a bag of mushrooms!" _

_Pippin held up the bag proudly as they laughed more, and he opened it, allowing the aroma to escape into the fresh night air. All three of them took a deep breath together, devouring the heavenly scent of their night's reward._

_"Oh, they smell so good..." a third voice said. "Wish we could have 'em now, but I best get home before Mum finds out I've been out this late."_

_"We'll save you some, Ang," Merry said as they stood and dusted off their fronts._

_"Yeah, don't worry," Pippin, added. "We'll let you know how good they were." Merry laughed at Pippin's comment as he smiled at Angie._

_"Oh, get lost," she laughed. "See you tomorrow."_

_"And if you're not alive?" Merry asked._

_"Stay away from my funeral," Angie joked. "Good night."_

_"Night."_

_"Bye!"_

_Angie walked down the hill to the road that lead to the front door of her home. To her horror, there her mother was on the doorstep waiting for her. Her eyes never left her daughter as she went inside. Angie kept eye contact on the light inside the door so that her mother could not attack her immediately. Once inside, her mother slammed the door, causing Angie to stop dead._

_"Where were you?" she asked angrily._

_"Out," the young hobbit girl replied coolly._

_"I told you not to leave! And now you return to me dirty with filth as always! Why I didn't throw you into a well I will never understand!"_

_"I'm not going to be little forever! I don't want to be here!"_

_"You are a disgrace!"_

_The girl's mother threw a vase across the room at her and it shattered on the wall right next to her. _

_"You are not to leave this home again! Do you understand me?"_

_"Mother-"_

_"Hush! I've had enough of you, Angela!"_

_"Angie! I like Angie better! Merry and Pippin gave me tha-"_

_"See! Running around with those two... those rats-"_

_"They aren't rats! Those are my friends!"_

_"Brandybuck and Took your friends! Absurd! They've poisoned you."_

_"Well at least I can go off and be happy with them unlike staying cooped up here with you!"_

_"You will not leave again!"_

_"I will if I please!" the young hobbit said bravely and loudly._

_There was a silence between her and her mother for such a long time Angie thought she could bear it no longer, and she half-wished she hadn't said that._

_"You shame us!" her mother yelled suddenly. "You shame your family! Curse the day you were born! Hobbits are not meant to run ramped in the Wild looking for... adventure! Let alone a girl."_

_"I will not be treated differently because-"_

_"Ooo, it's that Baggins, isn't it?" he mother said with fierce eyes, moving towards her. Angie backed up into a wall even though her mother was halfway across the room from her feeling small and meek as opposed to a few moments ago when she was shouting loudly._

_"No, mother-"_

_"You and those fools have been visiting him more and more, haven't you?"_

_"He teaches us many things!"_

_"He fills your head with lies! Lies and dreams and-and-and stories of that adventure! Makes you believe in folklore! Lets you think you can do anything!"_

_"It's not true," she began to cry. "Bilbo's a great hobbit. A brave hobbit."_

_"Don't speak of him!"_

_"But-"_

_Her mother wielded a plate across the room at her now. Angie ducked and ran up the hall with hot tears of anger blinding her sight. _

_"And if I ever find you leaving this house again to go see those filthy hobbits or that Baggins, you'll regret ever stepping foot outside!" her mother bellowed._

_Angie reached her room and slammed the door. _

_"He is a great hobbit. A wonderful hobbit," she sobbed, falling onto her bed._

_She leaned onto her windowsill and watched the moon rise above the high branches of the Party Tree far off on the top of the Hill. It was calming, but what would ease her tears and hate best right now would be a story from Bilbo. And that's just what she decided to do._

_She grabbed up her dark blue cloak and opened the window quietly. She left the room dark, and shut the window quietly as she fell to the soft earth underneath her window. She had begun to plant a few things there last week, but no sprouts yet. She frowned and ran off up the path._

_There was no need to bring Merry and Pippin this time. Even though they had been there through everything and she loved them both, she had already gotten them in enough trouble today. Though she knew that they would come in heartbeat if she had asked them to, sneaking out should be the last of their troubles after they got caught smashing Farmer Maggot's pumpkins..._

_Angie ran to the tree she often loved to go to when she was sneaking out at night. It was towards the edge of the River, and its overlook was beautiful under the silver moon. She got a clear view from this tree of Bilbo's hobbit hole, which comforted her enough at this point. Usually one of the windows was glowing warmly, but tonight, especially at this late hour, it was quite strange to see the hobbit hole lit entirely with figures moving in and out of the house._

_She couldn't make out anything said because of the distance, but she could hear the voices below. A carriage had drawn away from the gates of the hobbit hole, and she saw Bilbo coaxing a smaller hobbit inside. This new stranger carried bags in each hand and still more were left outside. Its head was low and sadness seemed to be upon it. Poor thing._

_"I know how you feel," she whispered._

_Perhaps this was a dwarf, but it seemed too small, even for a dwarf child. And besides, what would a dwarf be doing in the Shire even if it were one of the thirteen from his great stories told? It was odd, very perplexing, and still it looked to her like a small hobbit._

_She sat in the tree watching Bilbo's hobbit hole as lights slowly dimmed throughout it. Tomorrow she would have to meet this hobbit new to the Shire. Tomorrow, if her mother hadn't skinned her alive by then._

. x x x ..

Bright was the morning as Merry and Pippin slid quickly (and very loudly) into the strawberry patch under their friend's window. Merry nudged Pippin rather hard for making his loud entrance beside him, but Pippin merely smiled and placed a small rock in Merry's hand.

"Me?" Merry asked.

"None better," Pippin answered. "Quiet now!" he said as Merry rose up out of the strawberries.

He nodded and threw the rock at the window. He ducked immediately waiting for the yells, rants, raves, and gripes to start, but none came to their surprise.

"You try, Pip," Merry said.

Pippin stood up, rock in hand, and threw another one this time. Merry pulled him down and they waited again, but still they heard nothing. What was it gonna take? A boulder?

Another hit the window. Inside, a young hobbit girl opened her eyes and heard another _tic_ on her window. She sighed. It only took one _tic _on her window to tell her it was Merry and Pippin _again_ (seeing as it was their favorite way to wake her up), but two more _tics_ came before she got up and did something about it.

"Curse you two hobbits to your graves..." she muttered angrily as she got out of her warm bed.

She opened the window wide and saw Merry and Pippin stand up together laughing and sniggering, but they stopped dead when they had seen the daggers in Angie's eyes pointed right -at - them.

"Morning, Angie!" Pippin said happily.

"Ay! Beautiful day, don't you think?" Merry said.

"If you throw one more rock (or eat one more of my strawberries! Drop it, Pippin!), I will be the one throwing the rocks. At your heads. While you're tied to trees."

Pippin dropped his armful of strawberries as they both gaped at her.

"Geez, Ang, it was just harmless fun," Merry said.

"Yeah, lighten up, woman," Pippin said. "Frodo sent us."

"Frodo?" Angie asked quickly before hardening her tone. "Why?"

"To tell you bout Bilbo's 'levnty-first celebration tonight." Pippin said.

"And...?"

"And... that's it," Pippin said.

"You had to wake me for that?" Angie asked, thoroughly fed up. "I already knew!"

"Well of course you did," Merry said. "Must've slipped our minds, Pip." He looked down at the strawberry plant and picked off the biggest one, taking a bite just to make her mad. It worked really well after he added, "Delicious strawberries, by they way."

Angie smiled as they grabbed a few more quickly.

"Oh, get out of here!" she laughed as they ran up to the path with more of her strawberries. "You ignorant fiends!"

"Thank you!" Pippin yelled to her.

"Just you wait!" she called back.

She smiled in defeat as she watched them run off until they were out of sight, and then Angie walked away from the window to throw on her dress. After that, she picked up the book on her bedside table, and she left the hobbit hole to do some reading somewhere off in the Shire's warm welcoming meadows.

After a short walk, she found her favorite tree in the small grassy forest glade. She climbed only a few branches and placed her book in the fork of the long wide branch where she laid to read.

x x x

Frodo was wandering aimlessly through those parts as well; book in hand (whenever he had the chance; today he had the opportunity to get away and read a while), when he came to that same tree. He looked up and saw Angie lying there as she always did. They had shared this tree as their 'reading tree' since they had met, and it made the day even brighter to see her there again.

She amazed him. He had never recalled knowing someone for so long that looked so lovely, could do more than he could (in some ways), and still have time to read almost everyday. What kind of hobbit girl is like that? She was sort of an outcast to her family, but it didn't seem to bother her or him. She was wonderful no matter what.

Yeah, he had really had her on his mind a lot. And that's an understatement. Constantly was more of the word he'd use. It never used to be this way, but suddenly, she was penetrating his mind; crossing every thought, occupying every dream, never letting him concentrate fully. What she did to him now when he just saw her was incredible. It was as if he'd found everything worth living for. And yet he hated this spell she had over him. It really did make him miserable.

Then Angie saw him standing there, and all he could do was smile as he walked up to the tree. He was powerless. This is why he hated, yet loved, her.

"Ah, Frodo," she said evilly with a smile upon seeing him.

"Hullo, Angie," Frodo said, stopping at the base of the tree and looking up at her.

"I ought to give you a good beating, I should," Angie said. "You sent Merry and Pippin to me this morning while I was sleeping! And they ate my strawberries and threw more rocks at my windows..."

"Sorry," Frodo said. "Never meant for it. I just wanted them to remind you about the town's party for Bilbo tonight."

"Frodo Baggins! I already knew incase you forgot that you yourself had told me yesterday, the day before that, and two months ago! And Merry and Pippin have thrown rocks at my window for years! You think they're just gonna up and change overnight?"

"One day maybe," he laughed.

"Yeah, well next time send Sam, or I will have the sheer enjoyment out of beating your head in so's you don't forget," Angie threatened. "At least he'd wait til I was awake or wake me up without the help of flying rocks."

"Will do," Frodo said as she turned round and continued with her reading. He sat at the base of the tree imaging the scene of havoc Merry and Pippin had done (as explained by Angie) to barely escape their deaths again. He laughed at this image, and then began to read.

But not a minute had passed and Frodo couldn't concentrate on his book. He looked up at Angie, deciding to blame her. It was her fault after all. She would not go away no matter how hard he had tried. He didn't know why she had grown so much more than a friend to him in the past few months, but he did know that he now liked her and that it was driving him absolutely crazy.

He just might have to kill Merry and Pippin. It wasn't Angie's fault, it was theirs! She was all they talked about when she wasn't around. 'How pretty Angie is this' and 'how great Angie is that...' Frodo and Sam agreed a long time ago that they had covered just about every inch of her in describing her beauty in which he was blind to until recently. Yep, he had been brainwashed. Merry and Pippin must die. He now wished Angie had hurt them this morning.

Frodo again tried to return to his reading, but no good; this time the sound of an unfamiliar cart coming up the path beat Angie to disrupt him. He closed his book (now thankful for having a reason to) and stood up with a smile. The stranger was singing a familiar song, however, and at this, his heart lightened. He walked to the edge of the glade and stopped.

Angie had seen him get up, and she followed curiously at the sound of the carriage and singing as well. She jumped out of the tree, abandoning her book, and she ran to Frodo, but he was in the cart heading up the path with this strange loner whose pipe was emitting colorful smoke rings.

The wagon continued going, and Angie ran after it fast as she could through a short cut in the wood. Was he insane? She lost count of how many times she had asked herself that question, but 'yes' was the usual answer. Within a mile she had caught up with the strange cart and dived onto it. She fell into Frodo who helped her sit upright from her messy entrance.

"You all right?" he laughed, helping her up. Angie felt a blush coming to her cheeks when she saw his irresistible smile upon her, and she sat herself straight without every leaving Frodo's eyes.

"Ah, she looks fine," the man under the blue hat, said.

"Gandalf!" Angie cried excitedly after looking passed Frodo for the first time.

"Yes, yes! It's me!" the old wizard chuckled. "Haven't been here for quite sometime... so Frodo, how is the old rascal on his eleventy-first?" he asked, continuing a conversation Angie had obviously just interrupted.

"You know Bilbo," Frodo laughed. "He's got the whole place in an uproar."

"But of course! Isn't that just like him?" Angie asked. "What are you doing here anyways, Gandalf? Will you be staying for the party?"

"He's brought his fireworks for the party tonight," Frodo explained.

"Well, wonderful!" Angie said with a smile. "That's great!"

"Yes, yes... Bilbo should like them," Gandalf said.

"Half the Shire's been invited," said Frodo. "And the rest of them are turning up anyway!"

The three of them laughed as they approached and saw Bag End coming around the bend. The entire grassy hill was a bustle of energy and excitement, but Frodo frowned a bit.

"To tell you the truth, Bilbo's been a bit odd lately," he said in a concerned tone. "I mean, more than usual. He's taken to locking himself in his study. He spends hours and hours pouring over old maps when he thinks I'm not looking."

"And whenever anybody comes over, he's very short with them," Angie said in a similar tone to Frodo's. "Just a hurried 'hello' when you come in and 'good day' when you leave."

Frodo nodded in agreement before looking back up at Gandalf.

"He's up to something."

"Oh really?" Gandalf asked in a low voice.

"All right then keep your secrets," Frodo laughed. "But I know you have something to do with it."

"It would seem that way, wouldn't it?" Angie asked. "Gandalf, you're nothing but a bad influence," she smiled.

Gandalf gave her a quick glance which Frodo caught sight of.

"Well I agree with her wholeheartedly," he said. "Before _you_ came along we Bagginses were very well thought of," Frodo said to Gandalf.

"Is that so?"

"Never had any adventures or did anything unexpected."

"If you're referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved. All I did was give your uncle... a little nudge out of the door."

"Psh... nudge indeed," Angie muttered.

"Well, whatever you did, you've been officially labeled a disturber of the peace," Frodo said.

It was silent a few moments longer in which they heard shouts of children behind them yelling for Gandalf's fireworks. Angie and Frodo watched Gandalf as he ignored them, but they knew it was only a facade. Suddenly, fireworks began shooting out of the cart and the children behind them started cheering.

"Well, I'll go tell the others of you're arrival," Angie said.

"Others?" Gandalf asked, half afraid to.

"Goodbye, Gandalf!" Angie laughed, standing up. "See you both tonight!"

With that, Angie jumped from the cart and dashed off. Frodo watched her long red hair chase after her as it caught the sunlight, making it appear as a raging fire behind her. The last of her disappeared behind a few trees, but his eyes still didn't let her go.

"She's grown so beautifully," Gandalf said, catching Frodo off guard.

"Oh, yes... she has," he said awkwardly as he looked back at those last few trees she had run through. And now, Frodo decided he must kill Merry and Pippin, especially after muttering under his breath to himself, "Don't I know it..."

Gandalf smiled at Frodo.

"Boy may not be as blind as his old uncle after all..." he muttered.

"What was that?" Frodo asked.

"Oh, nothing for you to worry your little self over, Frodo Baggins," Gandalf said. "Now I believe we are near Bilbo's nice cozy home... Let's have that small yet long awaited talk, shall we?"

**. Please Review .**


	2. The Fortress

(A/N – I want to thank all of you for the wonderful responses to the first chapter! I enjoyed reading them so much. I was indulged, really, haha. I have also reposted the first chapter changing some things just slightly, but nothing to affect the plot. I want it to be perfect spelling and grammatical wise, so that's all. Nothing major happened. I just want you to sit back, relax, and read your review response, then the new chapter. And leave a review to let me know what you though this time around! Much appreciated! Thanks! Also, I wanted to let you know that instead of Frodo going to Brandy Hall right after his parents' deaths, he went to stay with Bilbo immediately. So he is twelve now instead of twenty-one when they meet him, as you will see.)

. Reviewers .

x) Elwing-Evenstar – I'm so very glad that you are! Here you go, and thank you very much for reviewing! I hope to here more from you! Enjoy!

x) Merewen Celebrindal – Well, it's not exactly referring to that, lol. It's more of a 'catching up' if you will. But I guess I should have clarified, eh? My fault. And thank you for the compliment! I take them to heart! Thank you for the review, and I hope you like this chapter as well!

x) Southern Charm83 – Wow. Someone to talk plot with! Haha… To your first paragraph, yes; I love to ramble and explain things. I don't want to confuse the reader, but I'm afraid sometimes that I scare them away with this huge block of writing and then they skip it. And to be honest, I started this because I've never really read a story where a girl hobbit follows the Fellowship and ends up having feelings Frodo. It's always a girl falls into Middle Earth, and the hobbits are gone from the story except for a cameo or mention! I wanted to do something different than that because the hobbits fascinate me and they are the beginning of the tale. I wanted a story to revolve around them. I'm very happy to hear someone actually likes my writing style, too. I've been told it's different, but usually not in a positive way. But for this story, I think I'm writing as if I were there, which leads me to your bit of advice. I've gone back and reedited the first chapter to weed out those little words that escape into my writing sometimes. I apologize for that. I think that if you go back and look now, you'll be a little happier. And you have made me so happy even though I've typed more than a review response here, lol. Thank you so much for your review; it has really encouraged and helped me. I've been waiting for one like it a long time to inspire me. Thanks again, and enjoy the story!

x) ArwenEvenstar83 – Haha, I believe you've got something there! You will meet this mystery guest in this chapter, so I hope that helps! I'm happy that you like the little inserts of humor, too. I love to laugh and make people laugh, but I'm not the best stand up comedienne, so I stick to comical writing. And Merry and Pippin are so wrapped around Angie themselves, that they don't really notice her behavior around others except themselves. One-tracked minds, you see, lol. Another person to like my writing style, and I thank you for it! I am loving this! I was hoping this tone would either set off a good impression, otherwise it would overwhelm and people would run away. But I thank you for not running away! Haha… Thank you for staying to review and I hope you continue to read on! Enjoy this chapter and thank you for your input once again!

x) Raylene – Immaturity's all right; it keeps you in check with youth. I can get like that sometimes, too, but I'm a child at heart, so it doesn't bother me as much. Live young, live long! Anyways, yeah, Angie's got it rough, but don't all Mary Sues? Lol… It is also because of your eye-opener that I have gone back and reedited the first chapter after finding some misspelled words. Thank you for the leak, haha. Thing is, my family thinks I'm retarded because I write (except for my sister who doesn't really care for Lord of the Rings), and my friends don't care too much for Lord of the Rings, either. And the people I do know that like Lord of the Rings would be like 'why are you writing made-up stories?' so I don't bother. I'll catch it. I think it's the computer screen that does something to trick your eyes. Resolution and stuff can mess with you. Anyway, thank you so much for your review! I will try to email you sometime! I love meeting people on this site; it's like a whole other world. My escape is here, and my next chapter is below! I hope you like it! Enjoy!

.. You guys totally rock at the reviewing thing. Thank you SO MUCH! ..

_-Dis/Claimer-_

**. Chapter Two .  
**.. The Fortress ..

_Angie stole away back to her room after spending a few hours in the tree's high branches near Bilbo's hobbit hole. She hadn't slept all night. Instead, she anticipated the sunrise so much, she began to count the minutes until the sun's first light would be seen. She was curious of this new hobbit. Who was it? What was its name? Was it truly a hobbit or some evil creature? Oh, the things Merry and Pippin had made up... _

_She stayed in her room for sometime until some light finally began to break over the Hill. She had been waiting for it for hours, and now she could finally sneak off safely without her mother knowing. Again she slid out through the window (for she would not dare walk the paths of the hallways before dawn with her mother angry with her. She would be accused of being out, as it usually went), and from there went to the hobbit hole of Peregrin Took, her best friend._

_"Pippin?" she asked quietly as she crept under his window. "Pip?"_

_She looked inside and saw him curled in his little hobbit bed snuggly. His breathing was steadying and loud, so she decided to go in to wake him. Through his window she slinked, and on light feet she ran swiftly to his bedside._

_"Pippin! Wake up!" she whispered, shaking his shoulder vigorously. "Come on! Up! Let's go!"_

_"Ehh... go away, Merry..." he moaned._

_"No, it's Angie!"_

_"Nasty...hmph... blackberries..." he muttered. "Aren't even ripe yet-"_

_PUMF_

_"Ow!" Pippin said as he sat up. "Hey! Angie! Long time, no see!"_

_"Shh! Come on!" Angie whispered, throwing aside the pillow she had just biffed him with._

_"Where are we goin'?" _

_"To get Merry," she said. "I'll tell you both then."_

_"Tell us both what?"_

_"Come on!"_

_"Can I have breakfast first?"_

_"Pippin!"_

_"Alright! Fine! But I don't do well on an empty stomach..."_

_"You always have an empty stomach," Angie said as he pulled on his pants and she fixed the sheets on his bed. "And an empty head."_

_"Filled with brilliance," he said, putting his finger up in the air dignantly and looking bravely out into space._

_"What about the mushrooms from last night?"_

_"Oh, I tripped on the way home while I was still with Merry..."_

_Angie now felt really angry at his stupidity. All of those delicious smelling mushrooms gone to waste..._

_"Enough of your nonsense," Angie said, pulling him to the window. "We must find Merry."_

_"I think he went back to Buckland last night," Pippin said. "Or maybe he's going tonight."_

_"Stop confusing yourself and come on!"_

_"But I'm still hungry!"_

_"Ugh..."_

_Angie led the way to the hobbit hole to where Merry had returned after the great pumpkin smashing. It took them quite some time to find the room Merry had sought refuge in after hearing his mother scream like mad when they found out what he had done. They opened his window, but did not go inside._

_"Merry! Merry, come out!" Pippin called quietly._

_Merry stirred and faced his window while still lying in his bed._

_"What is it?" he whispered._

_"I'll tell you later! I want you to see!" Angie said._

_"Ang, is that you?" Merry asked._

_"Yes! Come on!"_

_"Can we have breakfast first?"_

_"No! Let's go!"_

_"See! He's hungry, too!" Pippin said, pointing at Merry._

_Angie only groaned and held her forehead in her hand as they waited for Merry to get ready._

_Angie took them to the tree by the river. They climbed to the very top where Angie had been hours before watching the strange happenings at Bilbo's hobbit hole. Only several of the windows were lit now from when she had last seen it. She pointed at his home, and Merry and Pippin were lost in confusion._

_"What about old Bilbo?" Merry asked. "Is he ill?"_

_"No," Angie said. "Last night... he had someone come in with lots of bags and belongings."_

_"Well he's had company before, Ang," Pippin said. "Nothing new 'bout that. Bilbo's always got his door open to anyone."_

_"But it was a young hobbit," she said. "I had no clue Bilbo had family around here. For the exception of you two being distant relations, I mean."_

_"Neither did I, come to think of it," Merry said. _

_"Aw, it's probably no one," Pippin said. "Just a relative of no importance, I bet."_

_"Like you?" Merry asked._

_"Still, I want to know who - or what - it is," Angie, said._

_"Bit nosey, aren't you?" Pippin asked, plucking a fresh peach off of the bough of the tree branch next to him and biting into it._

_"No, just curious."_

_"Curiosity's bad, Ang. Not good for you at all..." Pippin said with his mouth full. "Hey... you know, these peaches aren't half bad..."_

_"You really have room to talk, Pip," Merry said. "About curiosity, I mean. You're just as bad."_

_"What?" Pippin asked as if offended._

_"I say we go down and meet this new fellow," Merry continued. "It looks as if Bilbo's all ready to entertain for the day, so what's say we drop in, eh?"_

_"But it's early," Angie said. "Sun's not even reached over the hills yet."_

_"Ah, come on," Pippin said. "Was your bright idea after all..."_

_"But-"_

_"You can't stop us!"_

_"Pippin!"_

_"Come and get us!" Merry laughed._

_They started to race down the tree, and Angie came after them keeping a close space between her and them. She was catching up pretty fast. So fast, Merry and Pippin skipped the last few branches and fell out of the tree altogether and bounded up to Bag End's large green door._

_"Merry! Pippin! NO!" Angie whispered urgently._

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

_She stood a few feet from the door as Merry and Pippin smiled back at her with the satisfaction of having outrun her. Though they knew that wouldn't be the case later when she had them on the ground screaming bloody murder, they wore big grins as they listened to Bilbo approach the door._

_"Who is it?" his kind voice asked._

_"It's Merry, Pippin, and Angie!" Merry said. "We were wondering if we could have a story now if that's all right with you, sir."_

_"A story?" Bilbo asked. "Well, that does sound nice."_

_He opened his large green door welcoming them, and behind him a figure no taller than the rest of them peeked round Bilbo's side, but then ducked back again._

_"A story by the fire with a nice breakfast to go along with it," Bilbo said with a great smile. "That does sound very cozy, doesn't it, Frodo?" he asked, turning to the little hobbit behind him. He wouldn't answer, so Bilbo pressed on._

_"This is my nephew, Frodo," he said. "He's come here to live in Bag End with me. Frodo? We have company," he said. "These hobbits stop in often to hear stories. You like them, too."_

_The little hobbit came round to Bilbo's front. Bilbo put his hands on his shoulders lightly and smiled hoping for something to happen between them. His hair was dark and his eyes were a wonderful blue. He looked at them with no change in his expression, and Merry and Pippin smiled and stepped forward._

_"Cousin Frodo!" Pippin said. "So good to see you!"_

_Angie looked at them totally confused. Cousin Frodo? They went up to him and Frodo's face lightened ever so slightly, but it went away when he saw Angie again. Bilbo looked at Angie who stared back at Frodo with puzzled eyes. There was a long silence, so Bilbo persisted with keeping talk going._

_"We'll all hear one!" he said suddenly. "This is just what we all needed, I think. Come in, friends," he said, letting them in. "Now how about the one where I came across those gruesome trolls? You all enjoy that one..."_

_For the first time, Angie felt quite out of place and unwelcome in Bilbo's home. She scooted along behind Merry and Pippin slowly and quietly while looking around their path to the warm fireplace. Right inside the door were most of the bags she had seen that night; a lot of them were a bit ragged and old. She wondered about this Frodo, she really did._

_"Here we are," Bilbo said, leading them inside. The room had its usual soft glow and warmth with golds and oranges flickering on the walls. The big rug they always would sit on had an open book lying in the center of it. Angie bent her eyebrows, went over, and picked it up._

_"Frodo, pick up your things now," she heard Bilbo say. _

_She looked up from the brown book she held as another hand fell on it. Frodo smiled politely and relieved her of the book. She watched him place it back on the shelf next to the fireplace as Bilbo made his way to the kitchen. She met Frodo's eyes momentarily, but then he went to follow Bilbo into the kitchen to make their breakfast they would savor during their story._

_With curiosity still running through her, she walked quietly out of the room and up the hall to the kitchen. She peeked in and saw Frodo reaching out of a cupboard for plates on a high stool. Suddenly, he began to stumble back. Before Angie could think, she ran up behind him and steadied him to avoid a lot of distraction on Bilbo's part from the pantry._

_"Careful," Angie said, taking the plates from him and setting them on the counter. "Are you all right?"_

_Frodo nodded. He returned a grateful smile as Bilbo came into the kitchen whistling._

_"Oh, don't worry about that, dear," he said. "Frodo and I will take care of breakfast, you just go sit with your friends and we'll be in soon with that story."_

_"But-"_

_"Go on," Bilbo said, coaxing her out of the kitchen. "There's a girl..."_

_Angie went reluctantly back down the hall. Oh, that Bilbo. He's so nice, but why did he have to get in her way now?_

.. x x x ..

Angie ran to the tree by the river - Her favorite tree to look out over the Shire in other than the wonderful Party Tree. She slipped up to the trunk where a lone purple violet grew at its base. From there, she went three steps to her right where a rough handmade door was set into the tree's large trunk. She opened it and went inside. Down a small set of crooked stairs made by the stones and roots, she made her way under the tree to their hideaway the five of them had named 'The Fortress.'

But the Fortress was unoccupied from the looks of it. Angie lit a small torch by the entrance and looked around. The wooden table in the center of the room had cards scattered all over them. Merry and Pippin had been here...

Or they were still -

"ANGIE!"

"AHH!"

She spun around to see that they had popped up from the other end of the table. Angie had her hand on her chest regaining control of her breath while Merry and Pippin were on the other end of the table laughing themselves to their knees.

"You two!" she shouted in anger.

"What about us?" Pippin asked as they kept laughing. Angie walked around the table with a stern glare at them, and then she punched them both in the arm.

"Ow!" Merry yelped.

"What, forget she could hit or something?" Pippin asked, clutching his arm.

"That's for this morning by the way," Angie said with a satisfied look at the both of them.

"Ooo... thanks for that," Merry said, straightening up. "So what did you need us for? Your revenge?"

"No," she said. "Gandalf's in the Shire and he's brought his fireworks for the celebration tonight. I need to tell Sam."

"Has he?" Merry asked evilly. Angie knew that tone all too well. Pippin now had the same sly grin creeping onto his face, and Angie smiled herself.

"What's running through your mischievous mind this time, Meriodoc?" she asked. "Another dastardly deed guaranteed to get us in trouble?"

"As always," Merry said.

"Oh, your twisted plans..." Angie said. "I'm in."

"Of course!" Merry said. "Anyways, I say we swipe one of them later tonight and have some fun! If you know what I mean..."

"And you know when we say 'we,' we mean, you," Pippin said.

"What?" Angie moaned. "But I'm always doing your dirty work!"

"Yes, but you enjoy it," Merry said.

"I know," she said. "It's been that way - and it'll be that way - for a long time."

"Exactly," Merry said, nodding firmly.

"Besides," added Pippin as he leaned in sideways and looked up at her, "how can you say no to this hobbit?"

"Or this one?" Merry asked, sliding in next to her.

Angie laughed as they stood up again.

"I already said I would," she said. "You two just couldn't do it without my help is all..."

"We could to," Merry said, somewhat offended.

"Yeah, right..." Angie said, provoking him.

"You know what, I'll tell you somethin', Ang-"

"Oh hush, Merry!" Pippin said. "Besides, it may be Bilbo's party, but we're entitled to as much fun as he is."

"I think that was the original purpose," Angie said. "Anyways, have you seen Sam? I wanted to tell him about Gandalf. That's why I'm here to begin with, not to scheme with you about the party tonight."

"Scheming's fun!" Pippin said.

"I agree," Angie laughed, "But all I want is a simple 'yes' or 'no'! Have you seen Sam?"

"Nope," Merry said, sitting down. "Haven't since yesterday. Maybe he's with Frodo."

"I was just with Frodo on Gandalf's cart," Angie said. "Bumped into him while reading and then Gandalf came."

"Well, go figure then," Pippin said, pulling. "They're bound to show up here sooner or later, Ang, so what do you say to a nice rest?"

Angie raised an eyebrow at him as he lounged back into his wooden chair until it stood on its hind legs. He put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes as he puffed at his pipe. She looked over at Merry who had an evil glint in his eye to go over and push him off the chair.

"That's okay," she said. "Maybe Merry will take me up at cards."

"Cards! Great!" Pippin said suddenly, sitting upright in the chair. "I'll deal!"

Over the course of the next two hours, the three of them had played five different card games to pass the time and were now on the verge of following their earlier plan of dozing off for a bit. Pippin was almost out as he swayed threateningly in his seat, and Merry's head was thrown back as he stared at the ceiling with his eyes shut. Angie had her chin in her hand propped up on the table, and her other hand was rapping on the table lightly.

"Maybe I should go look for Sam..." Angie said finally with a sigh of boredom.

"Aw, leave it," Merry said. "Any time now..."

"How long have you been saying that and they still haven't shown up?" she asked.

"Any time now..."

Angie grew tired of this and stood up out of her chair before she could let the drowsiness reach her in full. She really didn't want to sleep now, even if it would leave her more refreshed for the party that evening.

"Well, I'm going out," she said, starting up the entrance tunnel as she looked back at them. "I'll see you - oomph!"

She looked up at what she had run into, and she froze when she saw it was Frodo. He seemed amused that she had just run into him.

"Ooo... careful," he said with a smile, touching her arm lightly and momentarily. "Going somewhere?"

"Just to find Sam," she replied as she turned to go back to her seat. "Wanted to tell him about Gandalf."

"I already told him," Frodo said.

"Already told me what?" a voice from the top of the tunnel asked. Two seconds later and Sam appeared in the doorway looking around at them all. "About Gandalf?"

"See! I told you they'd come," Pippin said, standing with wavering legs beneath him. "It's about time the two of you showed up."

"He's already found out, Pippin," Angie said. "Frodo has told him."

"Oh... well..."

"You've been here this whole time?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Merry said. "Nothin' wrong with that, is there?"

"No, o' course not," Sam said. "I just came here to rest. I've been tendin' to Mr. Bilbo's gardens all morning. Thought you'd all know that. I've been doin' it since we've met."

"Well, you'll be prancing around in honor of Bilbo tonight," Pippin said. "That is, if you're still able to after yesterday."

"Shut up," Sam said. "I almost broke my arm because of you two."

"We apologized!" Merry said.

"Oh, like that's gonna cure me..."

The shouting went on for a few minutes between them. Frodo and Angie were on opposite ends of the Fortress, but every time they made eye contact they would laugh at their bickering friends. Angie rolled her eyes. Fall into the River one time and the arguing lasts forever...

"I think I'm going to go for a little bit," Angie said to Frodo as she walked towards the entrance tunnel. "I'll see you later."

And before Frodo could say a word, she was up and out the tunnel. It had happened so fast! Why had she run off like that?

"And you still owe me that pint, Merry," Pippin said.

"Do not! I paid that back to you at least three times!"

Now it had gotten to the point where they were arguing over nothing!

"Stop!" Frodo yelled. "Cut it out!"

"And _you_ needn't talk, Sam-"

"STOP!"

They did so and turned to Frodo.

"Did you say something?" Merry asked.

"No, just that your arguin's managed to get Angie to leave."

"She left!" Pippin asked, dropping Merry who was almost choked by him. "Angie! Come back!"

"You know, I'd really wish she'd stop running off like that," Merry said, sitting in his chair. "She never used to before..."

"And we never used to think she was the most beautiful hobbit in the Shire before," Pippin added as they both began to get all dreamy-eyed over her.

Frodo and Sam shook their heads and rolled their eyes, only Frodo secretly agreed wholeheartedly now. This is why he wanted to kill them. One of the many serenades of Angie coming from those two was about to be heard. Between them, Frodo and Sam had agreed that they had covered almost every inch of Angie in describing her beauty, wit, ect.

"Where have you been, Pip?" Merry asked. "She always was."

"Maybe we lay it on too thick sometimes," Pippin suggested. "You think that's why she ran off?"

"You two aren't her friends," Sam said suddenly. "You're her stalkers."

"We are very good friends," Merry said, standing up. "Can't help it if we like her along the side..."

"Yeah," Pippin added. "Might ask her a question here in a few years, if you catch my drift..."

"Not if I do first," Merry said with a flaring look in his eyes over at Pippin.

"If you're such good friends, you wouldn't have pushed me into the River to save her yesterday!" Sam argued. "I can't swim."

"Well gosh, Sam! None of us can swim..." Merry said. "Hobbits usually can't. They're sort of born that way."

Frodo had heard this already. They started with the shouting again, so he decided to use a page out of Angie's book and try to sneak out unnoticed amongst their shouting. He wanted to catch up with Angie, but he didn't go out as he had planned.

"Where you headin' off to now?" Sam asked as Frodo laid his first foot on the lowest rock.

"Uh... going to see Bilbo and Gandalf," he lied, thinking quickly. "I'm sure Bilbo will need the help tending to Gandalf."

He stood there a moment hoping they would accept that and let him go, but they looked at him with the expression that they knew something else was the purpose for his leaving. But just so they wouldn't have time to figure it out, Frodo gave a quick "See you later," and he went out of the Fortress.

**. Please Review .**


	3. The Preparations

(A/N - Thank you all for being patient. I had some kinks to work out in chapter fourteen, so yes; that was my delayed excuse. Also my lunchtime at school where I usually run off to the library and type has been occupied with helping Mr. Molinaro out since it's his first year teaching at the senoir high (he's my chorus teacher). So I get to clean, write notes, help out, but I'll have you know I never forget about this! I've been working on this far too long to just forget about it. So if my updates are a little spaced, it's because of that and because I have to write a new chapter before I'll post another. My rule to keep up and ahead. Sorry. I just hope this will suffice for now. Thank you!)

. Reviewers .

x) SouthernCharm83 - I swear you know how to read minds because that's pretty much my purpose for the flashbacks; how Angie and Frodo met, the things they did in their youth... I just have so much fun with the top part because constantly writing about the War of the Ring is a little boring. I wanted to break it up a bit for me and the readers' sake. Adds to it. And I'm glad you approve of my corrections! I went through this one twice and couldn't spot anything too wrong, but I changed a phrase or two just in case. Thank you so much for the support! Enjoy chapter three!

x) Elwing-Evenstar - I'm so glad that you liked it! LoL. Please continue to read more and let me know what you think, including any suggestions! I'm open-minded, so try me sometime. Thank you for your review, and I hopeyou like this chapter as much as you did the last!

x) ArwenEvenstar83 - I like the kind of reviews you leave me, too! They are just like the ones I do for my one friend's story... Pick out the favorite parts and comment as you read, haha. Well, the Fortress isn't really in the tree, it's underground as you shall see here in this chapter. The entrance is trought the tree truck, but it tunnels down into the ground with a nice big space. Over the next few chapters in the top story you'll see them building the Fortress and such, so I hope that helps. Plus, it's a fairly large tree. Sorry if I failed to mention, LoL. And of course the bickering is fun! I love writing arguments! I'm not very good at them in real life, but man, on paper (or computer) I kick butt! Thank you for the wonderful review, and enjoy!

x) Kenny - OMG! You found me! LoL. Sorry I don't use your penname anymore... I'm much more used to calling you Kenny now. But thank you! I saw what you did for Soon To Be Named, and we had the Sauron's daughter discussion ot too long ago, but if you need any help writing, just let me know! I'd be more than happy to help! Thanks for the review and the dots! Update soon, you! It's your turn! Haha... Enjoy the chapter!

x) Merewen Celebrindal - Another one! I'm so happy that you enjoy reading my story! I hope this chapter will please you as the other two did so far! The story will be picking up soon; promise. I'm just trying to get more backstory in before the War comes along and rears its ugly face and takes over the story, LoL. Anyways, thanks for reviewing and enjoy this one!

.. Thank you so much you guys! I'm having as much fun writing as you are reading! ..

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Three .**  
.. The Preparations ..

_Two years had passed since the last telling of the troll story and their meeting of Frodo Baggins. Angie remembered sitting beside him during the story and him not saying much but looking into the fire and poking at his breakfast as he listened to the story his uncle had told them all that morning. Merry and Pippin had told her after they had left that this was their cousin, and she was quite amazed that a quiet hobbit like that could be related to either a Brandybuck or Took._

_They had also told her the reason of his coming; his parents had drowned in Buckland three days prior to his arrival at Bag End, which Angie found truly horrid. Angie recalled saying to herself in the tree that she knew how he felt, but she had no idea then. Her father had passed away before she could ever remember him, but to lose both parents at once... Angie wasn't sure how to react to that or how Frodo was holding himself together. Perhaps she misjudged him?_

_Still, she went back occasionally to hear more tales from Bilbo with Merry and Pippin when they hadn't been in Buckland or Tuckborough for longer than a month at most. Usually they were only gone a week or two and she was left lonely, otherwise they were with her in Hobbiton. During those times, she had maybe said only a few things to Frodo when they had gone for stories, but he never really answered her. She was at a loss of why._

_But now, two years later, Angie was up at the top of the tree by the river looking at the Baggins' hobbit hole with great interest. Merry and Pippin often visited with their cousin and had always asked if Angie wanted to come, but she would stay back and observe from a distance. He was not such big news in the Shire anymore, but he still remained a mystery to her._

_Maybe it was those icy blue eyes that captivated her or just the silence between them that drove her to want to know more. It was strange that way. But when she realized what was happening to her, she dared not go near him. What if he was like his mother and expected a girl to be at home cooking and cleaning and readying herself for a family one day? That thought scared her even more._

_But today it was bright and sunny as usual. And again, all together as usual were Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and now this Sam Gamgee. She had begun a friendship with Sam in the past year when she, Merry, and Pippin had met him going to hear a story from Bilbo. He was helping the Old Gaffer tend to the gardens of the Baggins' then. But now he was down on the banks of the river with the others while Angie sat in the high branches of the tree watching them throw stones in the River and have their fun._

_She wanted to be part of that in the worst way. Pippin had told her Frodo already knew about her, but she never got a comment on what he thought of her. He told her to stop being so silly and to come and join them, but still she declined. She leaned out over the branch a bit more-_

_CRACK_

_Her eyes widened, and the branch split more and more until Angie was screaming and falling for what felt an eternity. But then, her cloak caught hold of another branch, and there she was swinging and choking and gasping for air just to get the word 'help' out._

_Below the tree however, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam had heard the loud thuds, snapping of twigs, and a long loud scream. Then it was suddenly quiet, and they looked over at the tree quite puzzled._

_"What on earth?" Pippin asked._

_"Let's go," Sam said. "It didn't sound good, whatever it was."_

_They ran up to the base of the tree and looked up; above them was Angie dangling high from her cloak. She had no color in her face, no movement in her limbs. A rush of fear swept over them all of whether or not she was still alive and what they could possibly do._

_"Angie!" Pippin cried as he began to race up the tree. When he reached her, he carefully pulled her up beside himself and yelled down to the others to go get help._

_"Go get Bilbo!" Frodo said to Merry. "Make it fast as your feet will allow!"_

_Merry nodded and went off up the hill for Bilbo for he was sure to be of good help. Pippin was carefully trying to get down the tree with his limp friend in his arms, but he kept knocking a good bit of fruit down. Every time he looked at her, it sent chills through him of utter fear. She wasn't breathing, not moving, now what? Of course he thought the worst, and he hated himself for thinking about it. But it was sort of hard not to._

_Sam and Frodo stood at the base of the tree, and Pippin eased Angie into their arms. The two of them laid her down in the grass, and all three of them leaned over her trying to wake her up. _

_"Angie! Angie!" Pippin cried, shaking her. "Wake up! Come on!"_

_"It's not workin'," Sam said._

_"She's very pale," Frodo said, picking up her hand. "And cold."_

_Pippin jumped up and ran his hands through his hair thinking of what to do. He stepped back a few steps looking at Angie and wanting to cry, but suddenly, he tripped back over a tree root and went tumbling down, down, down into a dark tunnel. Rocks and roots tore his skin, and he landed hard on a dirt floor._

_"Pippin! Pippin!" he heard Sam yell from the entrance of this tunnel. "Are you all right!"_

_He moaned a bit as he lifted himself up into a sitting position. That tunnel was rough riding, and he got a few good bumps and bruises out of that one. It was a tiny spacious area from what the sunlight masked by the dust would allow to show, and it was nice and cool here. But instead of sitting there himself, he clambered back up into the full sun and had Sam and Frodo help him carry her down there._

_"We put her down here, and we have Bilbo come down to have a look at her," Pippin said. "Til then, go topside to wait. I'll stay with Angie."_

_"What about me?" Frodo asked._

_"Erm... stay here with me," Pippin told him._

_At that, Frodo knelt on the other side of Angie; she was still colorless and cold. He picked up her limp hand and ran his thumb over it lightly. He looked up at Pippin who was tightly gripping her other hand and leaning over her, whispering for her to please wake up. Frodo felt guilty at this. Why, he did not know._

_x x x_

_Angie opened her eyes slowly and took in her first deep breath. It was sharp and painful, but where she was puzzled her. Bilbo and the others were over her looking quite relieved that she had finally awakened and taken the weight off their shoulders from the scare she had given them._

_"You all right, my dear?" Bilbo asked, placing a cool rag on her forehead. She gave a limited nod, not yet sure if she was able to speak yet._

_"You scared us half to death," Pippin said. "That wasn't funny."_

_"I wasn't-" Angie coughed suddenly on her on words; it was rough to speak for the first time since passing out in the tree. She sat up and rubbed her throat, and then proceeded to speak. "I wasn't trying to be-"_

_"Shh, rest," Bilbo, said, holding up his hand to silence her. "You need tea. Tea shall help you regain your voice and bring some warm life back into you."_

_Angie looked round at her friends. And Frodo was there to her amazement. Even he looked strained but relieved to see her awake now like Merry, Pippin, and Sam, but Angie couldn't help but smile when she saw them._

_"You all right, Merry?" she laughed weakly._

_"It's not funny," he said, wiping his nose. "You weren't movin' and we didn't know what to think."_

_"Ay," Pippin said. _

_"Gave us a right scare, you did," Sam said who looked on the verge of tears. Whether they were of joy or fear, Angie could not decide. And then her eyes fell on Frodo. She had the instant freeze run through her within a split-second and it was then gone again. Frodo smiled and took the rag from her._

_"You will be fine," he said reassuringly. "Bilbo is taking care of you now."_

_Angie could only smile her thanks. She meant to say more, but Merry and Pippin began telling her the story of her near death and great rescue. She laughed a few times until Bilbo returned with tea and made the others leave her alone to rest, but still it was a mystery of where she was._

_"Where am I?" she asked Bilbo._

_"You're under the tree you fell out of!" Pippin said. "The one with the delicious peaches!"_

_"What?" Angie asked, very confused at his answer._

_"We got you out of the tree, and Pippin fell down into this place," Frodo said._

_"And you're lucky," Merry added. "If that branch you were caught on would've broke, you would've fallen to your death."_

_"Strong and lucky tree if you ask me," Pippin said. "Like a great fort the Big Folk fight in in all them battles."_

_"A fort_ress_," Angie said. "I am a girl after all..."_

_"Nothing to be ashamed of dear, now I wish you all would leave so Angela can rest," Bilbo said, getting a bit impatient. "In fact, I think she should come back to Bag End and rest in a proper bed."_

_"You can go home," Frodo said. "We'll watch over her. She'll be fine, won't you?"_

_Angie looked around, unaware of what was being said at the moment._

_"You promise to let her rest?" Bilbo asked._

_"Yes."_

_"Sure."_

_"Ay."_

_"Of course, Uncle."_

_"All right," Bilbo said, making to leave through the tunnel. "Take care, and I'll see you up and running so enough," he said to Angie. "Rest and drink that tea, my dear!"_

.. x x x ..

Frodo emerged from the entrance to the Fortress scanning the hillsides and the banks of the River for any sign of Angie. But there was none. She couldn't have gotten that far that fast... even if she was a fast runner...

After a few seconds, he began to let his shoulders sag in disappointment that he had lost her that quickly, but a peach came hurtling down from the top of the tree and hit him on the head.

"Ow..." Frodo said. "What the... it's not even windy," he said as he rubbed his head and picked up the fuzzy peach. He looked up into the branches of the tree looming over him with welcoming shade from the hot sun, but on one of the longer branches amongst the green foliage was red... fiery red...

He smiled as he began to climb the tree. Whistling started coming from that branch, and as he climbed out onto it, another peach came at him, this time hitting him hard in the shoulder before falling to the grassy land below him.

"Ow! What was that for?" Frodo moved aside all of the green twigs, and there she was sitting with an armful of fruit as she looked off and whistled pretending he wasn't there. Then she made the mistake of making eye contact with him, and all she could do was laugh as he crept out onto the branch faster.

"I'll get you for that," he said, reaching for one of the peaches in her arms. But before he got one, she held them away and dropped them all to the ground with a smile. To counter that, Frodo plucked one from the branch next to him and pretended to throw it at her, but only laughed and took a bite out of it.

"What do you want?" she asked with a smile.

"To find out why you are pelting fruit at me," Frodo said, taking another bite from his peach.

"I dropped it," Angie replied innocently. "Nothing wrong with that."

"And you also dropped the one that hit my shoulder?"

Angie laughed as she leaned back into the branches lazily, and she stretched a moment feeling the sun warm her. She even allowed a yawn to escape her, making her feel even more tired than she had already felt.

"Remember our first meeting here?" Frodo asked, gazing down through the tree. Angie was surprised he had brought them up, but she always loved reminiscing over their many lasting memories.

"Of course! It was horrid!" Angie replied, sitting up quickly. "And you would've thought I'd learn to stop climbing trees after that."

"Not you," said Frodo. "I thought it was a funny after it all happened, come to think of it."

"Well, you may have, but I didn't -"

Angie was cut off by the sound far below of the tree bark door opening. She and Frodo leaned over to look, and out very quickly came Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Frodo pushed Angie back and held his arm across her so they could remain hidden amongst the green, but another peach fell in the process and hit Pippin square on the head. Angie bit her lip as she and Frodo still tried to remain unseen.

"Oi! What's- Hey! Frodo! You found her!" Pippin said after looking up and seeing them somehow. "We're coming up!" Frodo cursed himself in his mind, but Angie only threw him a look.

"Found me?" she asked slowly.

"Nothing, nothing..." Frodo said, removing his arm as they sat up off the branch. "Don't bother!" he called down to the others. "We're coming down now."

Frodo let Angie go in front of him. She was down and out before he was even halfway down, however. Angie dropped from the tree quite sloppily, though, but Pippin had managed to catch her.

"Having troubles?" he asked with a smile.

"Just a bit," she replied, returning the smile. She moved out of his arms, but Pippin's eyes still followed her as her warmth left him. He still smiled gently at her though her back was turned; yeah, he had it bad, too. But his attention was soon turned to the tree...

Frodo was coming close to getting out when twigs again started snapping beneath him, but he had maintained his balance only to fall out of the tree a few short steps later.

"Oh, you're a talented one there, Frodo," Merry said as he helped his cousin to his feet with Sam.

"Helping Bilbo tend to Gandalf?" Pippin asked. "More like helping Angie make her getaway."

"Drop it," Frodo said, rubbing the back of his head. "Ow... that hurt."

"Are you all right, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked.

"I'm fine, Sam... but... where's Angie?"

They started spinning around suddenly realizing that she was missing.

"What is it with her!" Pippin asked, throwing his peach to the ground.

Angie, however, was giggling from the other side of the glade. She had to get ready for the celebration tonight. She'd be amongst friends, and not that they would care what she came in; but Angie half wanted to dazzle her friends and the crowd and half look descent and cleaned up for Bilbo for all that he had done for her in the past. Therefore, she'd need more than her usual five minutes to get ready.

x x x

It was perfect. Simple, yet so perfect. Angie was wearing her favorite dress (which, for the record, also happened to be Frodo's favorite); it was dark green with a black bodice and white short shirt. She usually wore longer sleeves because she was always out with her friends running around the Shire and getting into mischief, but why not? She could look decent for one night...

She put three small braids in her flaming red hair and laced either a white or green ribbon in with them. She took a deep breath, stepped back, and admired herself in the mirror. For once, she didn't feel like the disgrace of the Shire her mother had always made her out to be. Tonight was special, and tonight was going to be a memorable one for years to come.

Nothing could ruin her spirits... what could go wrong?

Before she left, she picked up her basket filled with a half a dozen jars of strawberry jam she would be giving to Bilbo for his birthday, made fresh from her own strawberries that her friends adored so much. It was weighty, but she managed. She hopped out her window, taking up the basket, made her way through the strawberry patch, and stepped onto the road.

Back at the Fortress, Frodo and Sam, dressed in their best for the party, were sitting on one of the large roots of their tree watching the celebration begin with one of Gandalf's magnificent fireworks that showered gold over them all. Frodo smiled; he had missed Gandalf's fireworks.

"It's gonna be a night to remember," Sam said, mesmerized by the fireworks.

Frodo nodded.

"It sure will be," he said, watching the party's reflection in the river's waters.

"Maybe Rosie Cotton will be there," said Sam quietly.

"Everybody in the Shire will be there, Sam," Frodo laughed. "Why wouldn't she be? I doubt that Bilbo has overlooked anyone in Hobbiton or Bywater when he sent invitations."

"Nope! Nope!" they heard Pippin say coming out of the Fortress. "I beg to differ, Frodo!"

But before Pippin had said another word, he had emerged from the tunnel, and they suddenly heard a loud crash with Merry's curses following long and loud.

"Oops..." Pippin said, wringing his hands. "Must've left my chair in front of the tunnel again. Err... Sorry, Merry!" he yelled down to him.

Merry just moaned back, and Pippin laughed nervously.

"Eh heh..." he said. "Anyway, you're wrong, Frodo. The entire Shire will _not_ be there."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"Angie!" Pippin said as Merry clambered out of the tunnel under the giant peach tree. "She disa- Ow! Don't punch me!"

"Good for you," Merry scowled. "She went missing earlier, Sam, incase you didn't notice."

"Oh really? Guess who?"

They turned to the origin of the voice, and Angie was coming out from around the side of the tree. She covered Merry's eyes from behind with a smile before he could look, however.

"Um... Ang? That is you, right?"

"Yes," she laughed, allowing him to see again.

Merry turned around, and one glance made him smile and marvel at her. She flushed a bit and moved out from behind Merry so they could all get a good look. He and Pippin were at a loss of words and very unprepared for this. They looked at each other with big eyes in disbelief and then back at her trying not to let it show, but Angie smiled; it had worked on them.

Frodo smiled softly and lifted his brow. She looked the same, yet different. He didn't know how to explain it, but she had his attention. He liked it. And then she smiled and it made her look all the more wonderful. Frodo was at least grateful, however, that he, unlike Merry and Pippin, could hold up his composure somewhat in front of her.

Sam admired her for only a moment, and when he saw that the others were saying nothing, he cleared his throat loudly and smiled over at them shaking his head hopelessly. Merry and Pippin startled, and Sam walked up to Angie.

"You look nice, Miss Angie," he said. "What's that you got there in your basket?"

"Thank you, Sam," Angie replied with a smile. "It's just some homemade strawberry jam for Bilbo. I know how much he enjoys the strawberries and jam, so I thought I'd have a go at it."

"Jam?" Sam asked. "Well there's somethin' new. Sounds great."

"Thanks," Angie said with a smile, covering the basket again. "So, are we ready to go?"

"Yeah," Merry said blankly.

"Sure," Pippin said in the same unstable, wavering voice. "Af-after you."

Angie smiled at them, weakening them even more. She and Sam started to lead them down the hill with Frodo coming next, and Merry and Pippin bringing up the end of their small, strange group.

"She's evil," Merry whispered to his best friend.

"Ay, you think it's revenge for earlier?"

Merry looked up at Angie and bent his brow, nodding.

"I'm sure of it, Pip," he said.

"Wow, she is evil!" Pippin said. "We need to get back at her, Merry."

"Oh, we will, don't worry," Merry replied with a malicious smile.

"How do you mean?" Pippin asked.

Merry gave a ruffled brow while looking at the ground.

"I dunno. It will come to me, though."

"Suuuuuuure it will."

**. Please Review .**


	4. The Celebration

(A/N - Hi everyone! I have written another chapter for you all even though I'm not totally done with the the one I should be before I post this. I owe myself two more chapters now before I can post the next. I like to keep ahead, as I'm sure I've told you already. But that's all right. I just got done with the top half of chapter fifteen and wasn't ready to write the bottom yet, so I'd figure I'd edit this chapter and post it for you since you're so patient. Plus I'm on a roll right now with this story, so I think I'll be okay. Anyways, only nine and half days of my junior year in high school left! I'm so excited (but sad... I love the time I spend at school)! I hope you all have plans, because I don't. And congrats to any graduates of 2006! Great year! All right, go read now, haha. I've rambled enough.)

. Reviewers .

x) ArwenEvenstar83 - Yes, the Fortress hath been introduced! Haha... And smart idea about climbing the tree with the cloak. We'll have to tell Angie if she hasn't figured it out yet. ;) And yes, you're right about Angie's appearance for the party; same old girl with a more adult aura about her. I love how things change but they don't. It's tough to place your finger on it, but that's the fun in the mystery! I'm so happy that you keep coming nack for more and that you comment to keep me on my toes! Thank you for another great review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

x) SouthernCharm83 - To be honest, I've only seen the end of Little Rascals. But I hope they aren't too similar... I want some thiings to be distinguished out the hobbits' Fortress. As for Merry and Pippin's infactuation with Angie: it isn't something that will consume the story entirely. This is supposed to be FrodoOC after all. Merry and Pippin are Angie's best friends in all of Middle Earth, and the relationship os something the three of them treasure, but in time, I hope to show that these little intense feelings for Angie coming off of Merry and Pippin are what keep them with each other in thought when they are seperated later in the story (in Gondor and such). It would allow for them to think out their situations more carefully and how they really feel towards her. It is like our modern ways of having a crush on someone; in time we recognize that we never really liked a person that way, and I want Merry and Pippin to realize it later on. I hope that didn't confuse you... And about the 'wow' - I was careful of how I used it in context. So long as I placed it correctly I don't think it would matter all that much, and here I think it something that I could use just to show that they're normal, too. Thanks you for the insightful review, and I hope that the story keeps unfolding to your liking! I'm writing the Weathertop scene as we speak, so I'm making sure everything is perfect. Have fun with chapter four!

x) Kenny - Hey! First off, you have two options; you can be the one nurse with a small cameo at the end of 'I Love This Song!', OR you can appear as a pirate or someone else with a slightly larger role in the next story 'Really Bad Eggs!' that I'm currently still writing in my notebook, LoL. I'll let you choose. I've completed 'I Love This Song!' on paper, so I don't know where I could fit you in unless you wanted to be the nurse, but I could write you into the third one still (I'm only in the middle of chapter 5 of the threequel). You pick, LoL. Anyways, I'm trying to create Angie/Frodo action without too much getting out of hand because, as I usually do for some odd reason, I have the ending planned out perfectly for this story (like I did the wedding in JAOPS 3 LoL). But I'm going along right now with lots of ideas crossing my mind, so I'm not promising or dismissing any of them. Thanks for reviewing, and you better update soon! Any help, just ask! Enjoy!

.. Thanks everyone! Here comesone of my favorite chapters so far for you all!..

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Four .  
**.. The Celebration ..

_Angie had made it home later on that night still not feeling all that well from her fall. The others were still a bit worried about her state, but she had reassured them that with a good night's rest she would be ready for their next adventure in the morning. _

_"It's not rest that worries me," she recalled Pippin saying earlier before she had left them at that tree. "It's your mum!"_

_Angie laughed silently to herself as she laid back into her bed. Her mother had gotten on her case yet again for being out with Merry and Pippin. It had been routine ever since they had upset her mother the very first night Angie acquainted the three of them and made the mistake of having them stay for dinner; they had her so upset before they even had one bite that they dived through the kitchen window taking with them the sweet potato pie on the sill cooling for dessert. _

_She laughed aloud this time as she blew out the candles on her stand. Those two are worth more trouble than you could bargain for, but they had saved her today. Them and Sam and..._

_Frodo. After today, did that make them friends? She hoped so, but within half of a day she would know. But he did not seem to think like her mother. Until she found out for sure, however, the cool spring air drifting into her room carried her off to sleep without her ever knowing she had._

_x x x_

_The next morning was gray and clouds threatened rain upon sleepy Hobbiton. Sleepy, except for the four hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin marching their way up the path to Angie's front door. Thunder rolled softly above them as Pippin went up to the large round door and knocked loudly._

_The door opened a few seconds later, and the four of them smiled up at Angie's mother who scowled at them. Merry walked up next to Pippin as he began to speak._

_"Ah! Hello and good mornin' to you, Mrs. Ridell. We just wanted to see if-"_

_SLAM_

_"I don't think she's gonna let us see Angie today," Merry said quietly in Pippin's ear as he still stood there looking at the large brown door._

_"Well we can't leave her in there with her," Sam said. "From what you two and Angie always tell us, she doesn't seem too reasonable or right in her mind. Now I believe you."_

_"Well said, Sam," Pippin said. "Come on, all!"_

_Mrs. Ridell knew what she was dealing with. Those troublemaking hobbits would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, and that was to play with her daughter, which she would not allow at all anymore. No patience did she have with them. She knew they're next place of entrance would be Angie's window, so she went into her room and locked her window._

_"You rascals won't get in now," she said. "There'll be no more of this!"_

_She left Angie's room and shut the door, satisfied that she had done what she could for now to stop the wrath of those two and their band of evil followers._

_"It's round this way!" Merry shouted as they went around the corner to Angie's window. They went through the tiny garden under her window until they were there, and Merry tried to tug the window open, but it didn't work._

_"It's... stuck!" he said._

_Sam came up to his side and helped, but even with his strength tugging on the widow with Merry, it still would not budge._

_"That old bat," Merry spat, taking a step back. "She locked us out!"_

_"Oh, now there's a surprise," Pippin said. "Not like she's never done it before."_

_"Hey, you helped with swiping that pie... I don't want to hear it!"_

_"Hush, the both of you," Frodo said. "Just knock on the window and wake her up."_

_"No, that'll send Mrs. Ridell barging in happily. Knowing she's got us cornered with a giant butcher knife and in her evil clutches would make her day," Pippin said. _

_"Then what do you suggest?" Sam asked._

_Merry bent down and picked up a small stone, tossing it up and down in his hand._

_"Well, a rock would provide enough sound to wake Angie without the problem of Mrs. Ridell killing us," he said. "It's foolproof!"_

_"Ever done it before?" Sam asked._

_"No..."_

_"Then how do you know it's foolproof?"_

_"Oh, bug off, Sam..." Pippin said as he and Merry turned to the window._

_"Why not just tap on the window with your finger?" Frodo asked._

_Completely ignoring him, Merry lightly threw the rock at the window whispering, "Get down!" They all ducked into the small strawberry patch that was beginning to grow a bit taller under Angie's window, and they waited silently for a response... anything..._

_"Did it work?" Frodo whispered._

_"I dunno... throw another one!" Pippin said._

_"No!" said Sam, reaching for the rock in Merry's hand. "You're gonna get us all in trouble!"_

_Merry released the rock however before Sam could get hold of it, and they ducked into the patch again listening as the rock hit the window with a _tic.

_Angie shot up out of her bed and looked out her window. A small rock was on the outside of it, and she looked into her strawberry patch (that had grown marvelously in the past two years to her surprise), which was moving. It looked stormy outside, but none of the other plants of trees showed signs of wind yet. She went to open her window but found it locked._

_"Odd, don't remember locking it..." she said. _

_She unlocked it and pushed it open, observing her strawberry patch carefully. _

_"Who-who's there?" she whispered._

_Suddenly, the four hobbits revealed themselves to her as they popped up together out of the strawberry patch. She gasped and jumped away from the window a bit, but when she saw it was them, she leaned towards it even more._

_"Pippin?" she asked. "What are you all doing here?"_

_"We wanted to see how you were and your mum locked us out," Sam said as they approached the window._

_"We went to the door and everything!" Frodo said._

_"Oh, that woman..." Angie growled as she allowed the four of them to crawl through her window and into her room. "I'm fine since you were wondering," she said. "Haven't had a better night's sleep in a while actually."_

_"Well, we really wanted to see if you would come out today if you were well enough," Merry said, sitting on the end of her bed. "You see, we've had a most remarkable-"_

_"I have, Merry," Pippin said, interrupting him._

_"No you didn't!"_

_"Merry..." Pippin growled dangerously._

_"Fine, Pippin had the most remarkable idea."_

_"And what would that be?" Angie asked, bringing the covers over herself more to keep warm from the stormy air that was now starting to blow._

_"We turn that tree you fell out of into a hideout," Pippin said. "Just for us."_

_"Yeah, it's got lots of benefits," Merry said, "and we can even hide the crops we take from Farmer Maggot there!"_

_Angie shook her head with a smile._

_"And we wanted to fix it up today," Frodo said. "Make it a bit more… home-y."_

_"Home-y?" Angie laughed. "Well, sure I can come! Let me get dressed, and I'll bring some things and meet you at the tree. You need anything?"_

_"Well, we've already got a table and three barrels," Merry said. "And we can each bring our own little makeshift chair. I know I have three good ones."_

_"I'll bring two more," Frodo offered. _

_"Oh, and Ang, there is one more thing you could bring..." Pippin said._

_"And what's that?"_

_"Your strawberry patch is starting to look pretty ripe," Sam complimented. "Any chance of you bringing a basket for us to sample? I love strawberries."_

_Angie smiled, wondering how she didn't know that was coming._

_"Well, I've never really tasted one yet because they've been so small and not the best color, but go ahead and try one if you feel brave enough," Angie told him. "Or I can just bring a basket as you suggested."_

_"We'll grab one on the way out as a sample for later," Merry said as he hopped out the window. Angie smiled._

_"See you later, Ang," Pippin said, being the next._

_"Don't come if you feel too sick," Sam told her._

_"I'll be fine," she laughed as he went after Pippin._

_"Goodbye," Frodo said with a smile._

_"I'll be there soon!" Angie said, watching them run off up the road. She recoiled her hand after waving to them, a look of happiness spreading across her face. _

_They were friends now._

"_Goodbye," she replied to Frodo in whisper. "See you soon."_

_x x x_

_A long day had passed finally. Exhausted as they were, they finished up the last of things to be done as the storm outside raged on as it had all day, and Angie's basket of strawberries sat alluring and distracting them all, but it would be their reward of a hard day's efforts._

_"I think it'd be best if you hide those," Frodo said as he and Angie finished weaving some cloth throughout the underground roots above them. Angie had brought it, and they didn't want to waste it, so they did this for decoration. And perhaps it would keep bugs from falling into their hair._

_"Why? Can't stand the smell?" she asked in amusement._

_"No; I think they're driving Pippin mad."_

_"Well, we are pretty much done..." Angie said._

_"Yes! We are!" Merry said, coming flying down the tunnel and slamming into Frodo's back soaking wet from the rain._

_"Very much so!" Pippin added as he came in next staring hungrily at the basket._

_"Please!" Sam said, coming now to their surprise. "I'm usually not this hostile, but I've been cravin' just for a bite all day. One bite. Ever since I tasted the one in your patch! And I'm sorry, Miss Angie, but I took two even though you only said one."_

_"Okay!" Angie laughed. "Go to them!" And they did; they all went right into the chair next to them and began tearing the basket apart. Angie was a bit taken aback. _

_"I don't see how they could be that good," she said._

_"Anything's good after a long day's work," Frodo said. "Especially if it's been under your nose taunting you during all the labor."_

_"Mmm... these are great!" said Pippin. "Better hurry and grab some Ang before we eat them all."_

_She laughed and did as he advised; biting one led her to find that they were delicious, maybe the best she had ever tasted._

_"Oh my," Merry said, sitting up slowly. _

_"What is it?" Sam asked._

_It took him a minute, but then he leaned into the table towards them all and said very slowly, "I swallowed one whole."_

.. x x x ..

The grounds of Hobbiton were not recognized what with all the color, merrymaking, and song. Fireworks were decorating the night sky and going up so high it looked as if they were saying hello to the heavens and stars before falling back down to earth happily.

A smile drew across Angie's face. Nothing could go wrong and ruin tonight. As they came upon the grounds of the celebration, Frodo came up beside her and Sam to greet his uncle who was standing there kindly welcoming all who had come in his customary nature. Bilbo smiled as soon as he had seen them arrive, and he embraced Frodo the moment he could reach to him.

"Oh, my dear Frodo!" he said happily. "I was wondering when you'd show up. Decided to give me the slip and head out instead with your friends, eh?"

"Sorry, Uncle," Frodo laughed.

"Ah, it's perfectly fine," Bilbo, replied, patting him on the back as he entered. "And what have we here?" he asked upon seeing Angie and Sam. "My gardener escorting a lovely young hobbit from the looks of things."

"I ain't escortin' her," Sam said gently as if not to be harsh towards Angie. "Just talking."

"Oh, Bilbo, I have something for you," Angie said, removing the cover off of her basket. "I know you like my strawberries, so I made you a jam from them. Happy Birthday."

"Why thank you, my dear," he said, accepting them graciously. "So delicious, you should do it for a living, making sweet jams! I'll put these to good use, don't you worry."

"I won't," she laughed.

"Okay!" Bilbo said. "On inside you go!"

Merry and Pippin didn't really want to have a long conversation, so it was a lot of bumbling and stumbling into each other as they passed Bilbo saying, "Happy Birthday!" and "Thanks for the invite Bobo- err I mean, Bilbo!"

Once they got in, Pippin hit Merry upside the head.

"Bobo?" he asked as Merry rubbed his head. "Nice, Merry..."

"Oh, be quiet," he said. "Now let's get Angie and do this before Gandalf finds out!"

Pippin nodded and they ran on tiptoes up behind Angie, Frodo and Sam. Conditions looked in their favor; Frodo and Sam were deep in conversation and Angie wasn't saying a word, so they nabbed her. Angie didn't understand what was going on until they shooshed her, and then she smiled and ran behind them through a narrow passage between two tents.

"So, what's the plan exactly?" she whispered.

"Steal a firework from Gandalf's cart," Merry said. "We've been over this."

"And have some fun," Pippin reminded them. "That was in there somewhere, too, I believe!"

Soon, the tent to their left was gone and replaced with the side of a large cart.

"That would be Gandalf's," Merry said. "You two go hide in there til I call you out."

"And what about you?" Angie asked, folding her arms.

"I'm the lookout!" he said, pushing them under the tent. "Now go!"

Merry lifted the skirt of the tent, and Pippin and Angie ducked under into the little room. They stayed close to listen for any signal Merry would issue for them to come out, but nothing yet.

"Thought I wasn't gonna come, didn't you?" Angie asked Pippin who was absentmindedly looking around.

"No! No no no..." he said. "I knew you'd come. You like to put us on the spot like that, don't you?"

Suddenly, the side of the tent waved and they heard Merry's voice but couldn't make out what he was saying. Pippin went out first followed by Angie. Merry and Pippin quickly put their hands together, and Angie stepped up in them.

"Ready?" Merry asked.

She nodded.

"All right. One, two, three!" Pippin whispered.

"Quickly!" Merry urged.

She went flying into the cart, and then scrambled around. Angie picked up a blue one and showed it to them to get confirmation.

"No no, the big one, big one!" Merry said.

Angie looked; there was only one big one and it was red, so she picked it up with a smile as Merry and Pippin helped her down, and they ducked away into the tent again. Merry pulled out matches and looked at Pippin and Angie.

"Pip, would like to do the honors?" he asked.

"Sure!"

Angie rolled her eyes as they positioned it, and she slipped out of the tent without them knowing. They had gotten their firework. Let them get in trouble now. She wasn't stupid enough to stick around... especially when those two had explosives. Angie made her way through all the guests until she reached the place where everyone was dancing merrily to the happy tunes that surrounded them.

Angie seated herself atop the picnic table. Sam was sitting at the table, too, hunched over his empty ale mug.

"What's wrong with you, Samwise?" she asked, causing him to jump. "Not in the party mood?"

"Not in much of a cheery mood, no," he replied a bit shortly. "But that's not necessarily it, I mean. It's a great partyand all, I just- well, I dunno."

Angie shook her head and watched all of the dancers. She noticed among them was Frodo. She laughed while all the girls dancing around him giggled and laughed as well. But once Frodo saw that Angie was sitting there, he stopped. He could dance no longer. Oh the power she had over him. He smiled, filled with excitement of seeing her and made his way over to the table. Angie smiled back, watching him bound over to them like a happy dog would.

"Angie! Where did you go off to?" he asked.

"Mingling," she replied simply. "Sam's in a right state, if you ask me."

"Am not," Sam said grumpily.

"Oh," Frodo mouthed with a smile to her. He and Angie remained silent. Unaware of his friends still standing over him, Sam looked sideways to catch a look at the dancers, and Frodo and Angie finally understood. Frodo laughed aloud.

"Go on, Sam! Ask Rosie for a dance!" he said, sitting down between him and Angie.

"I think I'll just have another ale," said Sam as he tried to make his getaway.

Unsuccessful.

"Oh no you don't. Go on!" Frodo said, getting up, grabbing his shoulders, and pushing him into the field where Rosie happily took him as her dance partner and swept him off into the crowd. Frodo laughed and sat back down at the table.

"There, much better," he said.

Angie laughed and looked out at the dancing hobbits.

Then a thought struck Frodo. _Ask her to dance._ It was safe; they were friends and it would seem totally platonic and no one would suspect a thing!... 'cept maybe Angie. She's smart that way. Hmph... Well, what would it hurt?

Frodo stood up, took a deep breath, and turned to her.

"Would you like a dance?" he asked casually with hopeful eyes.

Angie froze. That feeling she always got was back. That nagging pleasure of his smile and bright eyes looking at her was upon her once again. Not the last time, she knew. She smiled as he extended his arm, and a thousand pulses of excitement ran through her as she jumped up and took it. She and Frodo were both laughing quietly as they began to step in time with the happy music.

"I'm not that good at this," Angie told him as they got faster.

"Oh, yes you are," Frodo said. "I've danced with you before! I would know!"

"I'm rusty!" she warned loudly.

"Just move your feet!" he laughed.

"I'm trying!"

"Slow down!"

"I - can't! Whoo!"

Frodo had let her hand slip out of his, and she spun out of control and onto the grassy meadow laughing not even a minute after they had begun their dance (and he wasn't even drinking!). He couldn't believe she was laughing after taking a spill like that! He ran over and kneeled beside her.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "Huh?"

"I'm fine," she said. "I- Frodo! Look out!"

She pointed up at the sky, and Frodo turned; a dragon!

"Bilbo?" Frodo panicked and looked around for Bilbo as if it was his instinct, and there he was as some sort of odd coincidence.

"Bilbo, look out for the dragon!" he shouted, dragging him down to the ground in the fashion all of the other hobbits were with those right next to them as the dragon swooped down on them.

"Dragon? Nonsense!" Bilbo muttered."There hasn't been a dragon in these parts for a thousand years..."

It was too near of a miss; the dragon almost clipped the heads of many, but as it soared back into the sky, the hobbits cautiously lifted their heads only to witness it explode into a splendor of reds and golds. Frodo helped Bilbo up as they chuckled and stood. But then, Frodo just took notice that Angie was not lying on the ground next to him. He looked up, and there she sat on the picnic tabletop watching the remainder of the firework fizzle out. She was the only one who wasn't getting off the ground, and it made him wonder.

"Let me guess," he asked, sitting down next to her with a knowing smile now. "You, Merry, and Pippin?"

"Who else?" she laughed as their foreheads touched. Angie felt a million little tingles that made her smile grow, but she felt very comfortable at the same time. Frodo seemed to have no objections either.

"You're right," he said. "No idea what I was thinking." Frodo laughed with her, and then he stood up, motioning towards the field as another song began. "Shall we dance again?" he asked with a mocking debonair smile.

"We shall," laughed Angie as she took his hand yet again.

Back at the site where the tent used to be, Merry and Pippin congratulated one another as cheers erupted from around them.

"That was good!" Merry said.

"Let's get another one."

"Hey," Merry said, spinning around. "Where's Angie?"

Suddenly, a tight pinch came upon their ears, and they looked up to see Gandalf.

"Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. I might have known."

**. Please Review .**


	5. The Departures

(A/N - Guess what everyone? I am free from school now! The last day was yesterday, and I was sad to leave (this is my last summer vacation!). I'm going to be busy, though. This summer and my senoir year promise to be interesting. My friend Levi talked my into joining march band to play piano at football games when I'm not even good at reading bass clef yet (I get to carry a flag in parades too), I've got five books to read for AP English this summer, helping Mr. Molinaro clean up the chorus room throughout the summer, made Chamber Choir (best one in school), and I'm taking nine music classes next year. But i'm still gonna write. I can't just abandon this! It's my relaxing thing. Plus, you all love it so much, so happy reading! Next chapter up ASAP. Also, I realized that I mixed up the events of the party somewhat in the last chapter, but I hope that's all right. I had to do it in order for it to work. Just to tell you! Next chapter up ASAP. )

. Reviewers .

x) Elwing-Evenstar - The dialogue from the movie is important, and I'm trying to put Angie in the conversations where it fits best so it doesn't seem like she's just there butting in. I might put some book dialogue in some, too, but not fora while. I'm glad you keep coming back for more, and I want you to enjoy this chapter! Haha... Thank you for the review!

x) SouthernCharm83 - Wow! Every sentence... I'm honored! I'm happy that my rambling answer to your question in the last chapter didn't confuse you either. That was a relief. And the Angie/ Frodo relationship will turn out fine, because like I did for my last Pirates of the Caribbean series, I had the end figured out before anything else. Yes, I know exactly how this is going to end, I just have to make the middel interesting. ;) Thank you for reviewing, and enjoy the new chapter!

x) Kenny - Pirate in 'Really Bad Eggs?' You got it. And yes, I know how much you love Orlando, LoL. And I will most certainly let you review the chapters before I post them... I just have to get cracking on writing more of that soon! There's so much to do (see author's note LoL)!I shall await the first chapter of your story, but in the meantime, enjoy mine! Haha...Thanks!

x) ArwenEvenstar83 - You really know how to read a story! Well, I mean of _course_ you know how to _read_, but I mean understand it. So far you've done a great job of it! I had to have that little bit of Angie and Frodo dancing in there, haha... I just had to. Thanks for your great review, and i hope you like this one just as much!

.: Summer Vacation is here! Woot:.

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Five .  
**.. The Departures ..

_The time went so quickly over the next few weeks. Angie was tending to her strawberry patch very eagerly now that they were an instant hit with her friends. She brought a basket to the Fortress once a week so that it would allow time for the patch to blossom again, but there never were many left after Merry and Pippin started paying visits to her strawberry patch in the middle of the night._

_She had caught them just the other night prowling around, and when she did they pleaded guilty because they were irresistible, insisting that there were now a necessity in order for them to live. She only made them leave and promise not to do it again or she'd cut off their life support. They agreed of course, but then again, she could've sworn that even in the dark she could see their fingers crossed behind their backs as they ran out of the strawberry patch whispering to one another._

_Since then, not much stirred to the interest of anyone in the Shire. It was another glum day to Angie's dismay as she walked up the path to Bilbo and Frodo's hobbit hole. The skies had been gray for days now and showed no signs of lightening. She sighed as she knocked on the door. Bilbo answered, welcoming her with his usual kind-heartedness. The weather obviously did not rule over Bilbo's mood. Angie had known this a long time, and it was nice to know._

_"Come in, my dear," he said. "Care for some tea this morning?"_

_"Yes, thank you," Angie replied pleasantly. "Is Frodo here?"_

_"Yes, just inside the room there reading. Be sure not to startle him; lad gets into his books so much I think he leaves us sometimes." Bilbo chuckled before shuffling off into the kitchen._

_Angie gave a smile as she walked into the comforts of the study. The fire was again flickering lightly about in the fireplace and dancing silently on the walls. Frodo was lying in the middle of the big rug in the center of the room where she recalled picking up one of his books the morning after his arrival. He was reading propped up on his elbows. Angie was careful not to surprise him as Bilbo had advised; she carefully set her basket on the nearby chair right inside the doorway and slid onto her stomach next to him._

_"Good morning," she said quietly._

_Frodo looked over at her and smiled lightly._

_"Oh, I didn't here you come in," he said. "Did you just get here?"_

_"Yes. Did I disturb you?"_

_"No, not at all," Frodo said, scooting over so she could lean over the right side of his book. "Do you like to read? Maybe you've read this one already."_

_"Oh, I love to read," Angie said. "Sorry to say I don't get the chance to read much of a variety, but I do; I love to read. Favorite pastime, you might say."_

_"Well, Bilbo has a small library going as you can see," Frodo laughed, motioning to the tall bookcase to the left of the fireplace and all along its mantle. There were even some stacked on a small table and on the desk in the corner of the room. Angie didn't remember seeing the table the morning they were introduced, but the mantle and bookcase she had. It was a dark corner, so she blamed the poor lighting._

_"Bilbo doeshave a lot of books," Angie said, looking around the room now realizing this._

_"Would you like to borrow one?" Frodo asked, getting up quickly. He offered his hand to Angie and she got to her feet lightly as he led her along the mantle to the tall bookcase. "I'm sure you'll find something to your liking."_

_"Are-are you sure?" she asked, scanning the line of books at her eye level._

_"Of course. I recommend a lot of these. I've probably read over half of them," he chuckled. "Here's a good one."_

_He took a small blue paperback book of off the shelf and handed it to her. She flipped it over looking at its condition, which was fairly poor._

_"This one must be pretty old," she commented._

_"No, just read often," Frodo, said. "It was my mother's. It was her favorite book, and I had read it a few times before I came here, though I didn't understand most of it until I was a bit older. It's a really good story. Go on. Take it for a little while."_

_"Well, all right. If you insist. Thank you," she said, taking it over and putting it in her basket. "I'll take care of it. I'll bring you over one of my books sometime, too. We can sort of exchange books every now and then."_

_"That sounds nice."_

_"Tea!" Bilbo called as he entered the room. Angie looked up along with Frodo, and Bilbo was right beside her as he gently sat a tray of tea and cakes on the stand beside the chair her basket was on._

_"Ooo, those look tempting," she said, picking up a cake._

_"Best be careful; they're still hot," Bilbo cautioned. "Tea is piping as well, so sip with care."_

_Frodo came over and took up a cup of tea in his hands sipping it slowly. Angie moved her basket and flopped down in the chair, and Frodo followed suit on the other side of the stand._

_"Anything else you may want?" asked Bilbo._

_"No, this is more than enough," Angie said. "Thank you."_

_"Okay. Um, Meriadoc and Peregrin are due in later, correct? That's what you told me, isn't it Frodo?"_

_"Yes," Frodo said. "We would meet them at the Fortress usually, but it looks like rain, and we thought of coming here today instead. Is that alright?"_

_"Of course," Bilbo said. "In that case, I better prepare a nice luncheon!"_

_"May I help, Bilbo?" Angie asked._

_"No, no. You stay there and relax," he said before bustling out of the room. "Lots to do, but this busy-body of a hobbit can do it all just fine!"_

_x x x _

_Merry and Pippin later arrived just as Bilbo had called for lunch. They chatted happily amongst each other despite the rain that blew around outside fiercely in the wind. But it was still all the more cozy in the study after a big meal. Bilbo was once again telling them a story as they had begged for one all during their meal. His stories never got old or lost appeal to them even after retelling upon retelling._

_"And then Gollum guessed a second time. 'Knife' said he, and I said 'Wrong! Last guess!' He pondered it a long while as I sat there very much afraid. Finally, I hurried him along. 'Time's up!' And his last guess was both string or nothing, and they were wrong. So he led me out. Very lucky he didn't guess my ring. I mean, would've you? Most would think a ring is kept on one's finger! Yes, but that ring saved me from that tight spot on my journey, I'll tell you."_

_"Can we see the ring, Bilbo?" Pippin asked. _

_"Sorry, my lad," Bilbo chuckled. "But I'm afraid I've misplaced it amidst all this rubbish here somewhere. Maybe someday if I ever find it, but I highly doubt it."_

_Of course Bilbo knew he was lying to them. It was safely nestled in his pocket at that very moment. He could not chance these children fooling around with such a meaningful thing to him, especially with its capability to make people invisible unknown to them. Besides, he had grown very attached to it and even got angry on occasion if its whereabouts were questioned. He did not trust anyone with his magic ring. It was his own to keep._

_"Well, that's all for today," Bilbo said suddenly. "I wonder if perhaps Samwise has finished with the garden yet; do you think?"_

_"Well I certainly hope not!" Frodo said. "It's raining thick as falls out there, Uncle!"_

_"Oh my, so it is!" Bilbo chuckled nervously with a glance to the window. "I quite forgot... well, let's hope he's not out there! Poor lad would catch his death!"_

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

_Bent brows formed across all of their faces as they followed Bilbo curiously to see who would be at the door in such a storm. Bilbo opened the door, and on the doorstep stood a soaking wet Samwise Gamgee sneezing very loudly._

_"Heavens me!" Bilbo said. "Get in here and warm yourself, boy!"_

_"Th-th-thank you, Mr. B-Bilbo," Sam shivered with another sneeze._

_Merry and Pippin closed the door as Angie and Frodo followed Bilbo and Sam into the study. Bilbo stood Sam right in front of the fire as his teeth chattered a mile a minute. Angie grabbed a blanket from the chair and wrapped it around his shoulders. Sam took it gratefully as a puddle began to form around his feet._

_"What were you doing out in such weather?" Bilbo asked in astonishment._

_"I w-w-went to the Fortress t-to find you all, b-but then I c-c-came here and-and-ACHOO!"_

_Frodo, Angie, Merry, Pippin, and Bilbo shielded themselves from Sam's horrendous sneeze, and Bilbo sighed._

_"Soup," he said simply. "Soup to warm your insides and get rid of that sneeze."_

_Again, Bilbo ran off in a hurry. Sam sat down slowly onto the rug in front of the warm fire, and the rest of them sat on either side of him._

_"Sam, you didn't know it was going to rain? We always come here when rain threatens," Frodo said. "We established that yesterday."_

_"I kn-kn-know that," Sam said. "I just th-thought I could beat it is all... Achoo!"_

_"Bilbo was right," Angie said. "You just might've caught your death out in that storm! Are you okay, Sam?"_

_"Oh, bless that Mr. Bilbo," Sam said. "He's done lots f-for me. B-By the way, has he told a story yet today?"_

_"Yep," Pippin said. "'Fraid you missed it."_

_"Aww, now isn't that j-just great! I couldn't even m-m-make it in time for a st-story."_

_"I'm sure Bilbo will not object to telling another," Frodo laughed, patting his shoulder. "Besides, it just wasn't the same without you here, Sam."_

.. x x x ..

Everyone way now beginning to crowd around the Party Tree as Bilbo made his way through the crowd, not to mention with the help of some guests pushing him forward shouting, "Speech! Speech!"

"Speech!" Frodo cheered with Angie beside him.

"Speech!" Angie called out as well.

Once Bilbo was atop the platform, he raised his hand to silence them all and began.

"My dear Bagginses and Boffins! Tooks and Brandybucks! Grubbs! Chubbs! Hornblowers! Bolgers! Bracegirdles! Proudfoots! and other assorted guests!" he began. Each family had cheered at thier respective names.

"Proudfeet!" Mr. Proudfoot said, correcting him as the other hobbits laughed and Bilbo waved him off.

"Today is my 111th birthday!" Bilbo shouted quite enthusiastically.

"Happy birthday!" Frodo and Angie cried in unison with the mass of other hobbits as they cheered and clapped.

"Alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve!"

A silence fell upon the crowd as they did not know exactly how to respond to such a statement. Frodo's amused smile was slowly fading at his uncle's strange behavior, and Angie was still trying to make sense of what he had said. But in the mean time, they sat quietly as Bilbo continued with his speech.

"I, uh, I h-have things to do."

Then a dark look came over Bilbo's face, lessening Frodo and Angie's expressions even more. He murmured a few words that neither of them had heard from afar, and suddenly he boomed over them once more.

"I regret to announce this is the end. I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell."

And then Bilbo's eyes met with Frodo's. Frodo became very tense and even more perplexed as his uncle said "Goodbye," to him softly and disappeared from sight all together. Frodo was at a loss of words. His mouth hung open slightly as panic began to overcome all of the guests.

"Frodo! Bilbo! What-?"

"I don't know, Angie," he said quietly, still looking out at the spot where Bilbo stood moments before. His mind was puzzled.

"But-"

"Listen, I... all right. We need to get everybody out of here so we can find him. Help me get rid of the guests, and we'll have a better chance of finding him."

Angie nodded and ran off, but Frodo sighed as he looked back up at Bag End with a smile.

"Bilbo, you clever old fool," he chuckled to himself as he started up the path.

But to Frodo's dismay, Bilbo was not at the hobbit hole laughing heartily at his joke when he entered through the door. Instead of a joke, it had turned into a different matter. Gandalf instead greeted him grimly. Bilbo was gone. Such news dampened his spirits. He promised to tell no one of the Ring that he now inherited. After Gandalf's hurried departure that night, Frodo turned in his bed all night restlessly. He had to tell his friends Bilbo was gone the next day. He wanted to delay that moment long as possible, but it seemed that he could not.

How would they take such news?

x x x

The morning after the celebration and Bilbo and Gandalf's mysterious departures, Frodo wandered down to the Party Tree where there were a number of the hobbits busy tearing down the colorful banners and cleaning up the mountains of food from the previous night. Frodo felt terribly guilty when he saw this, and still it saddened him that Bilbo had left in such a fashion. He looked upon them for a few minutes blankly until he saw Angie.

"Frodo!" she called out, abandoning the basket of fruit she carried to another hobbit lass. She ran over to him.

"Did things go smoothly last night?" Frodo asked. "With the guests leaving?"

"Would've been better had we found you," she replied. "No one saw you after Bilbo disappeared, save myself. Did you ever find Bilbo? Where is he?"

"I-I'm sorry about that. I need you to do me something, if you would."

"Will you run off again?" she asked with a smile.

"No," Frodo said as they began walking the length of the field.

"Alright then," she said eagerly. "What is it?"

"Round up Sam, Merry, and Pippin, and meet me at the Fortress. It's... important."

Angie sensed the seriousness in his tone. Something was wrong. Her smile dissipated, as their footfalls seemed to become heavier.

"Frodo, what is it?" she asked quietly.

"I'll tell you all at the Fortress. Now go on. Make haste."

Angie obeyed and ran back into the thick of things where the clean up was pursued. Now her mind wandered frantically at what Frodo might have to tell them. Come to think of it, he never did answer her questions as to what had become of Bilbo. She came across Merry and Sam who were tearing down a tent, and they smiled when they saw her.

"Hullo, Miss Angie," Sam said. "Quite a mess Mr. Bilbo left us, huh? Have you seen him at all?"

"Um, no..." she answered awkwardly. "Have you seen...uh... Pippin?" she asked, his name momentarily slipping from her mind. "Where's Pippin?"

"Right here!" Pippin replied as he ducked out from underneath the tent before it collapsed. He bit into a green apple in his hand and said with his mouth full, "What seems to be the trouble, Ang?"

"Frodo's having us at the Fortress," Angie said quietly. "He says to come find you; it's of great importance."

The three of them looked bewildered.

"Something wrong?" Merry asked.

"I don't know," she said. "I was just told to hurry and collect you."

"Well then, let's be off!" Pippin said, starting out towards their tree. "Any idea of what Frodo's got to tell us?"

"I do, but I hope I'm very wrong," she said with a deep sigh. "He's avoiding the subject of Bilbo."

"Well, let's just see and hear what Frodo's got to say," Sam said. "It might not be all that bad. Something might've gotten stolen or something last night is all."

"Somehow, I don't think so," Merry said quietly from behind them all. Angie felt a pang in her stomach when she heard this since she walked right in front of him. What could've happened?

Pippin led them away from the clean up procession trying to be unnoticed, and they successfully did so by retreating over the nearby hillside. They reached the Fortress in good time, and down beneath the roots in the cool underground room they found Frodo bustling around and setting the chairs straight.

"Bit restless aren't you, Frodo?" Pippin asked, emerging into the room.

Frodo looked up in surprise and nodded, motioning them to sit down. They did so quickly, and Angie allowed Frodo to sit in her seat at the head of the table since he bore news of special interest to them all. She sat down looking at the table, and then up at Frodo as he began.

"I-I have something important to tell you all," he began.

"We know that!" Merry said. "On with it!"

"Okay... well, last night, I went back up to Bag End and Bilbo was not there."

"So?" Pippin asked.

"Gandalf was sitting there and... and he told me that Bilbo h-had left. He's gone to live with the elves in Rivendell."

A shocked and saddened expression fell upon each of their faces.

"Mr. Bilbo? Gone?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Sam. I'm afraid so," Frodo replied heavily. "He's left me Bag End and all of his possessions."

"All of them?" Pippin asked. "In that case, would there be a chance I could have that nice silver- Oop!"

Angie elbowed Pippin and gave him a stern look. Pippin put his head down as Frodo continued.

"Bilbo talked so long about leaving," he said quietly. "I was beginning to think he'd never do it, that it was just talk, but apparently I was wrong."

"Is there a chance we'll see him again, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked.

"We may, Sam. We may."

A silence fell unto them. Bilbo gone? How could this be? Angie suddenly realized how much she missed his stories. They had not heard one for a while. And his door was always open to her and welcoming when she needed it to be. Bilbo's hospitality saved her stomach from rumbling most nights when her mother had sent her to her room without supper, or when she got caught in the rain or got hurt running around Bag End chasing the boys with one of his walking sticks. And now he's gone? How cruel some things can be...

"Why would he just up and leave like that?" Angie asked. "He didn't even say goodbye."

"Well, technically he did, but I still know what you mean," Merry said. "Nasty little dirt of a trick to pull on us, wasn't it?"

"And he didn't have a slice of that lovely cake!" Pippin said. "It was covered in Angie's strawberries!"

"So I can assume it's gone now?" Angie asked him expectingly.

"Well, the majority of it..." Merry said guiltily as Angie rolled her eyes and he and Pippin looked away momentarily. She knew it was gone now and who had done it. Why hadn't she guessed what had become of the cake she donated strawberries to if no one else had touched it? She knew better that Merry and Pippin would be the two to eventually get their hand on it.

"But it was good, I'll have you know," Merry suddenly piped up again. "Every single strawberry was perfect. Bilbo really missed out."

"Yeah," Pippin muttered. "Letting a cake like that go to waste..."

"What a shame..."

"Bilbo just wanted a laugh before he left is all," Frodo said, defending his uncle before hecould beinterrupted again. "I know he meant no harm by it."

"Did you know about this, Frodo?" Merry asked him.

"No! Of course not!" he replied. "How could I? I ran up to Bag End to congratulate him on upsetting all his guests, but I had not a clue he'd do something like that. I told you I never thought he would leave."

"Ay, but did you know about the trick?" Pippin asked.

"All right, that's enough," Sam said suddenly. "Stop harassin' Mr. Frodo. If his word ain't good enough for you, then you can just leave."

"Geez, Sam, calm down!" Pippin said. "Meant no offense..."

"Well then pipe down," Sam said before turning to Frodo. "Anything up at Bag End we can help you sort out, Mr. Frodo?" he asked.

"Well, Bilbo has left a will," Frodo replied. "Tomorrow you may be of some help to me. And maybe a few days after. It's a particularly large will."

"All right then, tomorrow it is! And a few days after!" Pippin said, jumping up. "By the way, am I mentioned at all in dear Bilbo's will?"

**. Please Review .**


	6. The Ring

(A/N - Wow. School's out, and I'm so busy. Outr Steeler's football team's quaterback Ben Roethlisberger got into a serious motorcycle accident yesterday, and he's supposedly okay, but from the football standpoint, we know nothing yet. My sister spilt boilg water all over her hand today which wasn't pretty, and i've been getting an earful from my parents for something or the other. Technically, I shouldn't even be on my computer right now, but I feel like being defiant and updating for you guys, LoL.)

. Reviewers .

x) Elwing-Evenstar - Wait no longer! LoL. You shall find out hat Pippin received in the bottom half of the story of course! Glad you liked that last chapter, and I hope that this one starts to stir things up a bit for everyone, including you! Thanks for the review, and enjoy it!

x) SouthernCharm83 - Well, this chapter is where they discover the Ring, so I think that's a good start so far, LoL. In chapter sixteen I've got them fighting the Nazgul at Weathertop, so I hope I'm not going too slow. Everything will flow, trust me. I'm in the making of seventeen now, so let me know what you think of the pace. I'll try to update more frequently from now on since it's summer, but no promises. Sorry, haha... I make promises and they usually backfire... But! I'm glad you liked the last chapter and I hope that you will very much be pleased with this one! Enjoy!

x) ArwenEvenstar83 - It's really cool how when I read your reviews I feel like I'm reading the story with you sitting next to me pointing out and commenting after all your favorite parts, LoL. Thank you very much for another totally awesome review, and here's another chapter for ya! Love it! LoL..

x) Dragon-Slayer-of-the-4th-Realm - I am so honored by that! LoL. you know, I did some research on my stats a few motnhs ago when I first posted this, and it was part of a C2 group here that was called something like 'The Worst of the Worst LOTR FanFiction,' and I wrote an email and they did nothing. I think C2 groups need to get permission to use others' stories before putting them in a group. It was just rude. But I haven't gotten and flames yet, only love, so I'm thankful for that. Thanks so much for finding the time to review! I hope you keep on enjoying with us!

.: Wow, I need piano lessons... :.

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Six .  
**.. The Ring ..

_Spring was now melting into the months of summer. The rain had passed a few days after Samwise had shown up soaked to the bone on Bilbo's doorstep. Sam had caught an awful cold being out in that horrid downpour, but Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Angie still came to visit him day in and day out. _

_It was really early one morning when they had visited him bearing some of Bilbo's special soup and a basket of Angie's delectable strawberries. Merry had tried to swipe one right in front of her while they stood at Sam's bedside, but she had slapped his hand and made him and Pippin sit and watch Sam eat all the ones he could. Torture that was for those poor fools. But after they had left, not much communication was had between them for several days. That was very odd considering the sun was shining and they were all for the most part in good health._

_Angie hadn't heard from any of them in a few days. She became quite bored with the wait and began to take up reading the small blue book Frodo had given her between the chores her mother had forced upon her since she was suddenly at the hobbit hole on a daily basis for three consecutive days. Yes, big news for Angie's mother. Probably the longest Angie had remained in that terrible place since she had met Merry and Pippin._

_She was finally done with sweeping out her room when her mother suddenly yelled, "And don't forget to weed that eyesore excuse of a garden of yours!"_

_Angie rolled her eyes and closed her door, abandoning the broom to the nearby corner. Her eyes wandered around her room now that she had finished it after a long morning's work. She really wished her friends would come back. She'd rather get Maggot's rake on her back than a daily workload from her mother._

_She flopped on her bed with a sigh of exhaustion. She'd had enough for one day, even if it was just morning. If her friends weren't going to show up anytime soon, Angie mind as well do the second best thing: get out of that stuffy room and go read._

_She took up the blue book in her hand and made her escape out the window. Then she stopped to examine her strawberry patch. It was not all weedy! How dare she. It was perfect! Angie had weeded it two days ago! She just shook her head and took off into the grassy fields finally feeling free again, a feeling she hadn't felt in what felt an eternity._

_She came to her favorite glen where the trees where perfect for climbing and where she could have the most alone time in the Shire. Her comfort spot. That's what you could call it. Well, this and Bag End; they both were too close to compare._

_She had not been here in a while, and oh, how she had missed it. She climbed the limbs of her favorite tree and went to a particularly long branch that parted halfway up into two other branches. Angie crawled along it when she reached it and slowly let her stomach lay on the branch as she sat her book in the crook of the branch and began reading. She was careful not to fall having not been in the tree for some time._

_"Angie?"_

_She looked up, wondering how she had been interrupted in her spot. Then she looked down, and there stood Frodo._

_Her eyes must be playing tricks. _

_Frodo?_

_"Frodo! What are you doing here?" she asked._

_"I always come here to read at this tree. What about you?" Frodo asked._

_"I've been coming here to read since I was able to," Angie replied. "Before you, before Sam, even before Merry and Pippin."_

_"Well then, I guess I've stumbled onto your territory," Frodo said, smiling. _

_"Hmm... What should we do with you, you little trespasser?" Angie teased._

_"Throw me away into the River and never speak of me again?" Frodo suggested._

_"Nah, I'm too tired."_

_"Well, since you're too tired to persecute me or anything at the moment, would you mind if I had a seat and enjoyed my last hours?"_

_"Not at all," Angie said with a smile._

_"Thank you."_

_He took a seat at the base of the tree and opened up his book. Angie returned to her reading as well with a big smile across her face. She was sharing her reading tree with Frodo. What a delight._

_And she got to push him into the River later._

_What an even bigger delight._

_x x x_

_Hours went by as they sat in silence lost in their reading. Frodo, however, was brought back to reality by the rumbling of his stomach. He frowned._

_"Just as it was getting good," he muttered. Then he stood and looked up in the tree at Angie._

_"Angie?"_

_She looked up._

_"Yes?"_

_"I'm hungry. Would you maybe want to see if we can have something to eat back at Bag End or the Fortress or something?"_

_"Sure," Angie said, and her stomach agreed as well. "Maybe we can eat at the Fortress after we get the others? I haven't seen Merry, Pippin, or Sam in days."_

_"Well, I'm not sure if Sam's well yet or not, but if he is, he should be at Bag End with the gardens," Frodo said. "I'll go get him and some food from Bilbo, and you can get Merry and Pippin. We'll meet at the Fortress for noon. How does that sound?"_

_"Sounds good, and so does lunch. Let's hurry," Angie said. "I'm famished! We missed second breakfast and elevensies!"_

_x x x_

_"Don't tell me they're gone already!"_

_"Well, Angie, we told you to hurry and get some while they were there," Pippin said. "Your strawberries, for the thousandth time, are irresistible."_

_"But I brought those for Sam!" she said. "He's been sick for a while now."_

_"I'm fine, Miss Angie!" Sam said. "I had my share. But these two don't eat 'em, they inhale 'em," he said with a sideways scowl towards Merry and Pippin._

_"Again, our life support," Merry said._

_Angie rolled her eyes as she ate the last of her roll. Frodo laughed as he took in the scene in front of him. It was going to stay this way if Angie didn't stop bringing those strawberries to their get-togethers or didn't destroy the strawberry patch altogether. _

_"Yes well, again, I'll cut off your life support with one more night visit under my window," Angie threatened._

_No, that wasn't a threat, Frodo told himself. That was a promise._

_Lunch went by with ease and light chat between them all. Eventually their talk led them out into the shade the Fortress so graciously provided for them, and the warm breeze of the summer coming was relaxing yet invigorating._

_"Ah, lazy days," Merry moaned as he stretched and walked slowly into the sunlit meadow. "Good to be a hobbit, it is."_

_"Yes, so fun," Angie said sarcastically. She looked out over Hobbiton and sighed. "I'm bored."_

_"Want to go bug Farmer Maggot?" Pippin asked lazily._

_"Nah, did that twice last week," Merry said, dejecting his idea. "How about Bilbo and the Dragon?"_

_"I'm the dragon!" Pippin shouted._

_"No," Angie said. "Did that four times last week."_

_"Well, geez Ang!" Pippin said. "We haven't seen each other in five days and you're already bored with us that easily?"_

_"No," Angie said. "I just-"_

_Then she saw Frodo talking to Sam. They had wondered down by the riverbank... Angie smiled slyly as she ran over and whispered furiously in her best friends' ears. Merry and Pippin smiled as she leaned away very eager to carry out the plan now. She loved her little mischievous streak._

_"On three?" Merry asked._

_"On three," Pippin confirmed._

_"One..."_

_"Two..."_

_"THREE!" _

_The three of them went flying down the hill at Frodo and Sam. Frodo had turned around just in time to see them pummel him and Sam into the grass, dirt, clay, mud, and then the water. The water luckily was not all that swift when the bunch of them had tumbled in with a loud splash, but it was very chilly. Soon, they each reached a rock; Merry took up Angie on his, and Sam, Frodo, and Pippin were forced onto one together._

_"You idiots!" Frodo shouted, sputtering water out of his mouth as water dripped freely from his dark hair and drenched clothes. He threw water off of his sleeves and onto Pippin angrily._

_"Hey! I didn't do it!" Pippin said defensively. "It was Angie's bright idea!"_

_Then Frodo looked over at Angie as she wringed her hair out and Merry shook his hair out like a wet mutt. Angie looked back but started to laugh; he looked ridiculous with his wet hair and angry eyes._

_"It's not funny!" he argued._

_"It's hilarious!" Angie said. "Besides, I owed you for stumbling onto my territory earlier, remember?"_

_Frodo wiped the hair away from his eyes and plopped down on the rock still blowing water out of his face. She had gotten him. Darn. But now there was a different problem. How on earth were they to get back to land?_

_"Well, now what?" Sam asked, voicing Frodo's thoughts. "We certainly can't swim to shore... lucky at all to have clung to these conveniently place rocks if you asked me."_

_"Well, nobody asked you, Sam," Pippin said as he let his hair shake about._

_Frodo laughed to himself; Merry and Pippin never cease to push Sam's buttons. It wouldn't seem right if they didn't. Frodo also knew that Sam himself didn't really think much of them from all the mischief they caused and got themselves and him into. Relentless it was; sheer, relentless behavior on behalf of Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took._

_"Would you two stop it?" Angie asked. "It's just one more thing to bicker over, isn't it?"_

_"I want off this bloody rock!" Sam said. _

_Pippin went to push him in, but Sam held up his fists defensively. Those two started getting into the name calling and nitpicking until Frodo exploded._

_"Stop!" he yelled. "You two aren't helping." Then, letting himself take a deep breath, he calmed and spoke again. "Now, can we jump from rock to rock?"_

_"You chance a slip, a fall, and a plunge in doing so," Angie said. _

_"Well it's better than sitting on a rock all day with no food and these two driving you to jump in and drown yourself," Frodo replied, getting to his feet. _

.. x x x ..

The dealings of Bilbo's will drove all five of the hobbits up a wall over the course of the next few days. Pippin was indeed mentioned and left a nice pouch of Bilbo's finest weed. He relished this great surprise and thanked Bilbo a thousand times over as he pulled out his pipe and began smoking it on the spot.

They were all mentioned; Angie, Merry, Sam, the lot of them. But as the hobbits and hobbit lasses in Bilbo's will came and went from all ends of the Shire, Frodo grew weary and would be glad to have it done it over with so he could sleep comfortably when time would finally allow.

And now Angie was talking about something Bilbo had said to her about making a living of canning delicious jams for the hobbits of the Shire. She was talking about it here and there, saying she was going to get different kinds of berries to make her jams, and that she would someday have a whole plot of land behind a shop so that they would always be fresh. Frodo smiled at her big ideas. It seemed to be the perfect thing for her to do. She had a natural green thumb just like Sam.

"I wonder where I would put the shop?" Angie said as she sat down at the table in Bag End where everyone else was sipping tea after the last of the hobbits in Bilbo's will had left. "Somewhere easy access, of course."

"What kind of berries do you plan to have?" Sam asked.

"Oh, all kinds, Sam," she said. "And you know what? I'll make you my first assistant in growing them."

Sam smiled, straightening himself in his chair proudly. "Thank you, Miss Angie. It'd be a pleasure to work with you."

"It'd be a pleasure to have you," Angie said. "And of course there's my little rotten thieves here," she said, motioning to Merry and Pippin. "You two can have a jar a day each if you promise not to eat my berries off the bush."

"But the berries are the best part!" Pippin said.

"Okay, one jar of berries then," Angie compromised. "And Frodo, of course, you're welcome to whatever I have as well."

"It'd be great if this would happen," Frodo said.

"It will," Angie said. "Someday..."

x x x

Years passed after Bilbo's stunt. Yet Bilbo was somewhat forgotten to many and still others would say 'good riddance' in thinking about him and his leaving them high, dry, and confused the night of his disappearance. And some still did not know what had become of him. Frodo was suspected of being in on it somehow, but he would wave them off and just wallow in the company of his friends had these rumors and accusations arose again.

Angie's ideas were still brilliant as ever, but they hadn't made much headway since she hadn't the funds to put them into action. Frodo had offered to help with paying for the land and materials, but Angie absolutely refused unless she had enough to do most of it herself. And so, not much was done in the way of the jam shop, though Angie's ideas got better whenever she voiced them every so often.

But for now, everything ceased to arouse them. Lazy days and relaxation were more than welcome over the past few weeks. Frodo had gotten more sleep than usual, and it was great at how peaceful everything had been.

It was a warm summer evening nearing the autumn run when Frodo received a series of knocks on his door. He sighed and reluctantly left his chair in the study to answer it. When he opened it, he smiled; it was only Sam.

"I'm done with your gardens, Mr. Frodo," he said, motioning outwards towards the freshly weeded flowers around the large green door. "Thought you'd outta know."

Frodo smiled. Then he had a pleasant idea to relax both him and Sam.

"You up for a drink, Sam?" Frodo asked. "You can leave your things at the end of the road there and pick them up on our way back from the Green Dragon later."

Sam looked very honored.

"Well, why not?" he asked, taking up his gardening tools. "I guess I could use an ale after a long day's work. That'd be nice. Thank you, Mr. Frodo."

"No trouble, Sam," Frodo replied with a smile. "Come on."

Once they had reached the Green Dragon, they made for their usual table. To their delight, Merry, Pippin, and Angie were there having a drink as well. Angie had pulled up her usual chair to the table and Merry and Pippin sat on either side of her.

"Oi! Frodo and Sam are here," Pippin said raising his glass to them.

"Ah, the drink's good tonight," Merry, said. "Get it while it lasts!"

"All right," Frodo said. "I'll be right back, Sam."

x x x

Maybe Merry had taken his own expression a bit too seriously. He had had at least half a dozen drinks before him and Pippin were up on the table dancing and singing with a full blown crowd to go along with it.

"Hey ho, to the bottle I go!  
To heal my heart and drown my woe.  
Rain may fall and wind may blow.  
But there still be –  
many miles to go!

Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain,  
and the stream that falls from hill to plain.  
Better than rain or rippling brook –"

"-Is a mug of beer inside this Took!" Pippin finished with a loud cheer from everyone.

Frodo and Sam had managed to get out before the crowd got too thick, but Angie wasn't so successful. No, Merry and Pippin had eventually dragged her up on the table with them. She gave a shrug in Frodo and Sam's direction, and then she began to dance along with them as they began to sing another song.

"Well, guess that's the last we'll be seeing of them tonight," Frodo said with a laugh. "Ready to go, Sam?"

"Surely," Sam responded as they walked through the door to leave.

"Wait for me! Frodo! Sam!"

They turned to see Angie running after them with a laughing smile spread across her face. Frodo and Sam stopped and waited for her until she reached their sides.

"I finally got away from those two, and you are not leaving me here with them," she said breathlessly. "I don't think I've ever danced that fast in my life!"

"And on a table, too," Sam added.

Angie laughed. "Well, I think that's enough tabletop dancing for me tonight," she decided.

"All right, then," Frodo said. "May we walk you home?"

"That'd be fine," Angie replied with a warm, polite smile.

Then they proceeded to leave through the exit where Rose Cotton, the barmaid of Sam's fancy for sometime now, was seeing everyone out with her lovely smile. Sam straightened up a bit as they approached.

"Goodnight," Sam heard Rosie say.

He spun around to meet the hobbit lass's face, and smiled.

"Goodnight," he said back to her sheepishly. Angie and Frodo smiled to one another.

As they walked further out the door, the three of them heard behind them a loud drunken hobbit overly flattering Rosie. They looked back, Sam himself going green with envy.

"Mind who you're sweet talkin'," Sam said angrily as he kept walking. Frodo and Angie exchanged smiles once again.

"Don't worry, Sam," Frodo said, clapping his hand on Sam's back. "Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one." Sam stopped for a moment as Angie and Frodo kept walking.

"Does she?" he asked skeptically.

Frodo and Angie shook their heads with a smile as they began to head towards Bag End. Frodo suddenly felt more drunk than he should have, though. He, Sam, and Angie all began to stagger and sway up the path. When they reached Bag End, Sam threw his things on his back but fell down. Frodo and Angie laughed, and she bent down to help him up.

"Goodnight," Sam said to Frodo once on his feet again.

"Goodnight, Sam," Frodo laughed. "Goodnight, Angie."

"Goodnight, Frodo."

With that beautiful smile gracing her lips, Frodo watched as he walked up the path she and Sam walk in the other direction. Oh, how her hated/ loved her. He was so preoccupied with watching Angie and smiling about her that he had yet to realize that he had just walked into Bag End without opening the door. Then he stopped two paces in.

The door was open?

Frodo looked around. The place looked like it had been shuffled around a bit. But he had just tidied up before sitting in his chair and leaving with Sam. It made no sense. Suddenly, a huge hand fell upon his shoulder, and he gasped in fear and surprise, spinning around. The frantic face of Gandalf leapt out of the darkness at him whispering very quickly, "Is it secret? Is it safe?"

Outside, Angie and Sam were making there way past Bag End when the entire hobbit hole suddenly was alight. They looked up at it in amazement as they saw more than one figure passing by the window.

"Sam," - she grabbed his arm and he stopped - "Frodo's not alone up there," Angie said quietly.

"It would appear so," Sam responded, dropping his things on the road. "But he doesn't look like he's a stranger to Mr. Frodo."

Then an enlightening thought passed through both Angie and Sam's minds. They looked at one another and smiled. Bilbo. Bilbo must have returned to visit after all this time! With great hope alive in them, they snuck through the gardens and up to the window in the main room.

"It doesn't sound like Bilbo at all," Sam whispered to Angie.

"Who then?" she asked.

As the conversation in the room continued, Angie and Sam's hope was dimmed to nothing, especially when they heard that it was Gandalf speaking of Mordor and a ring of power. They listened on at the story as they moved under the kitchen window with Frodo and Gandalf's voices until mention of Bilbo was heard.

"That's the ring Bilbo always mentioned in his stories," Sam whispered somewhat excited. "They have it. The folk from the East. It's... it's an evil ring."

"Evil?" Angie queered.

"Anything from Mordor I can guarantee you is evil, Miss Angie," Sam said. "I'm not that bright, but even I know that."

"Come on, Sam!" Angie said. "They're goin' back in the other room."

With more crouching beneath the windows and stumbling their knobby knees across the rocky earth, Angie and Sam once again were under the window in the main room.

Suddenly, mention of the Gollum creature was brought up. Angie and Sam were amazed at to how much Bilbo's stories were true (Why shouldn't they be? They had met Gandlaf after all, hadn't they?). Frodo began yelling at Gandalf to take the Ring immediately, but Gandalf only roared before speaking softly again.

"But it cannot stay in the Shire!" they heard Frodo's shaken voice say.

"No! No it can't," Gandalf said solemnly.

Suddenly it was silent. Angie and Sam looked at each other with heavy looks. This was a very serious and dangerous task from the sounds of things. What was going to happen next?

"What must I do?" Angie heard Frodo say, realizing her most terrible fear.

Frodo was going to Mordor? Why him? Couldn't it be any other hobbit in Middle Earth besides him? Well, Angie had decided on one thing and it looked as if Sam had to - If Frodo had to go to places unknown with an evil ring, he wasn't going anywhere without them by their sides to protect him and help him. Mordor's a long and deadly road; who knows what could possibly happen along the way?

"Wait, Angie, listen," Sam, said suddenly. "He's only going to Bree! He'll be meetin' Gandalf there."

"Bree or Mordor makes no difference," Angie said. "I'm going with him and so are you."

Sam nodded, and Angie then turned to listen again. But, her head collided painfully with the windowsill, and she doubled over to the ground.

"Miss Angie? Miss Angie, are you all right?" Sam asked, pushing back the leaves to get to her.

He was oblivious to the fact that all had gone quiet in the room trying to make sure Angie was all right, but then Samwise was hit over the head with a great force and doubled over himself. Then, he was tugged threw the window and slammed onto a table with the loud voice of Gandalf bellowing over him, "Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?"

Sam didn't know what to do but plead his innocence with a little white lie.

"I have been droppin' no eves sir, honest!" Sam said, thinking fast. "I was just cutting the grass under the window there, if you follow me."

"A little late for trimming the verge don't you think?" Gandalf asked as another rustle of leaves caught their attention. All eyes turned to the window as Angie arose from the ground brushing herself off. She gave a sigh and a smile for them all.

"Good evening, Frodo," she said, nodding at him. "Gandalf," she said, doing the same.

"Had Miss Ridell help you with that grass, did you?" Gandalf asked, rounding Sam again.

**. Please Review .**


	7. The Beginning

(A/N - Sorry for such a long delay everyone! I haven't even had time to write the next chapter for this yet, because I've had this nasty little Pirates of the Caribbean plot stuck in my head that I have been writing and writing and cannot stop. But, I had to update for you all because you are probably ready to see what happens next. The journey begins in the chapter below! Enjoy it! By the way, did anybody see Dead Man's Chest yet? Flippin' sweet, isn't it? I've seen it twice, LoL.)

. Reviewers .

x) ArwenEvenstar83 - I love ice cream! LoL. Mint chocolate chip or neopolitan! Chocolate chip is good, too, haha... I'm glad I kept making you laugh! Hopefully I have some more funnies for you below... _checks_ Yeah, I think we're good. Haha... Thanks for the great review! Have fun with the new chapter!

x) Elwing-Evenstar - Yes! LoL... Thank you! Well, I will only be cuteous and pick up where the last chapter left off so you can see what's going on from there. I hope you like this one just as much or even better than the last! Thank you so much for reviewing!

x) Dragon-Slayer-of-the-4th-Realm - You know what? You're co-writing the next complaint email I send this site, LoL. You make a lot of good points, and with mine, I don't think we can loose. Shame about them never really doing anything about it, though... I'm still really upset that my story is part of such a degrading C2 group. But on a lighter note, thank you kindly for the support and review! Please keep reading since you like it so muchand enjoy!

x) SouthernCharm83 - Yes, it is in fact 17 years that passes between Bilbo's departure and Frodo's (Frodo turned 33 during the celebration, and he is 50 when he leaves on his journey, just as Bilbo was 50 when he went on his. Read 'The Hobbit,' LoL. I totally recommend it.). Dont't fret either! Things will pan out because I'm ont going to be writing anything relating to Helm's Deep and stuff - just what the hobits are doing basically. I hope to have it no more than 40/45 chapters, 50 only if I need it! LoL. Hopefully around upper thirties would do. I just hope you stick around for it! Haha.. Anyways, thank you for the review, I hope I answered your questions, and enjoy it!

x) Kenny - I have updated! Bwaha! LoL... I understand the soccer thing. I'm starting to get wrapped up in marching band myself now. I'm still writing you into my PotC story, and it's coming along great. Hope to see you again soon! Thanks for reviewing! And enjoy the chapter while you're at it:)

x) TheLoneShe-Elf - Yay! Another newbie reviewer! Haha... I hope you continue reading with us! It's a blast! Thank you so much for showing interest and reviewing! Enjoy this chapter and those to come!

.: Woot! Six Reviewers! Haha:.

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Seven .**  
.. The Beginning ..

_Soaking wet as they dragged their soggy selves to the bank of the River, the five hobbits collapsed onto the grassy ground huffing, puffing, and dripping. Frodo was propped up on his elbows, and Angie was laying down enjoying the warm sunshine, but Sam sat grumpily between them as Merry and Pippinlaughed on the other side of Angie. Sam shook out his hair getting them all a little more wet. _

_"Aw, look, Merry!" Pippin said, glancing over at Sam. "He's such a cute little puppy! Can we keep him?" _

_Sam looked over his shoulder glaring at them angrily. Frodo and Angie were biting hard on their lips as to not let laughter escape them for Sam's sake. They both knew that Merry and Pippin were harmless and that sometimes Sam took what they said to heart. But it was still funny. _

_"Now, Pip, is he trainable?" Merry asked. "I believe you missed the ferocious fangs and the bad bark." _

_"I'll give you a bad bark," Sam as he got to his feet facing the two of them. Merry and Pippin were now holding their tongues as Sam moved pass Angie and towered over them threateningly. "Say one more word and it'll be reason enough for me to beat you to Bywater and back." _

_Merry and Pippin's smiles were shining through in full now. Angie and Frodo watched as they dug their own graves deeper and deeper. _

_"Sam, you know we were only kidding," Merry said, trying to look sincere. _

_"Ay," Pippin said. "We were gonna keep you, even if you weren't fully house-broken." _

_Angie and Frodo were the first to laugh, though it was a close call. Sam didn't take notice, however; he was huffing heavier and heavier as Pippin nudged Merry in the side, and the two of them scrambled to their feet with Sam chasing after them screaming "Come back, you filthy scamps! I'll get you!" _

_Frodo threw his head back and laughed as Sam chased them around the Fortress and back again. Angie giggled and sat up, pulling her knees in close to her. They couldn't contain the giggles they had anymore, laughing themselves silly. _

_"Run, Sam! You can get 'em!" Angie beckoned. _

_"He'll get them one day," Frodo laughed. _

_"Maybe their just milking the opportunity since Sam is the only one they can play their little jokes on and not have catch them later," she said. "You and me, we'dclobber 'em." Frodo chuckled._

_"That's right," Angie said. "And after we beat them, we can torture them as punishment."_

_"Oh, is my sentence fulfilled?" he asked quickly. "From trespassing? I mean, surely you wouldn't have the heart to push me in the River a second time." _

_"Oh no?" she asked slying. _

_Frodo jumped up, backing away from her, still smiling at her evil grin. She got to her feet slowly, following him. _

_"Trespassing is a dangerous thing to do now-a-days," Angie said. "You see how protective Farmer Maggot is of his wonderful crops. I feel the very same way about my reading tree. And for the crime you've committed-" _

_"Crime?" Frodo laughed, still backing away. _

_"-is punishable with two sentences," she continued. "One being the River, and other still being the River." _

_Frodo stopped suddenly, feeling the grass turn to clay and mud at the bank of the River. He looked up at Angie, starting to crack up again. _

_"You wouldn't," he said. _

_"Yes I would." _

_Angie thrust her arms out to push Frodo in, but he grabbed hold of her by the shoulders; then they started kicking at each other's feet to make the other fall first. As they continued to be locked in their epic battle of knocking the other into the River, Angie and Frodo began to slip in the mud and clay together. Their eyes met with a bit of worry, but then Frodo laughed. _

_"It's your turn," he said. "We're going in anyways." _

_"No. No, don't you-" _

_Frodo twisted her shoulders and successfully had her falling into the water, but Angie hadn't let go. She was still holding onto one of his sleeves. Frodo's eyes widened, trying to pry her off, but he got pulled under, too, with a walloping splash. _

_x x x _

_Sitting pretty up in the branches of the Fortress with Sam at the bottom being a persistent little thingand that, Merry and Pippin were congratulating each other with a hand shake. _

_"Not bad if I do say so myself," Pippin said, admiring his nails after rubbing them on his shirt. _

_"We put on a pretty good show, huh?" Merry said. _

_"Ay, if only it had been a bit longer," Pippin added with a sigh of regret. His eyes wandered over the landscape and caught sight of Frodo and Angie kicking each other down by the River. He elbowed Merry who started watching with him. _

_"They're strange," he said. _

_"Sure are," Pippin agreed. "Kicking and fighting and laughing about it!" _

_They both returned to watching the little spectacle, and suddenly, Angie was pulling Frodo in who had tried to push her. They felt sympathy for Frodo; she had done the same thing many times to them. Plus, he was getting soaked again. _

_"Mr. Frodo! Angie!" _

_They looked down at the base of the tree, and Sam was gone. Through the branches they saw him running over towards the spot where Frodo and Angie had fell. Happy to see that they were no longer being held captive in the tree, Merry and Pippin started down so that they could go see what that was all about. _

_Sam was already walking into the water searching frantically for Frodo and Angie who hadn't surfaced yet. He was shouting out their names when Merry and Pippin came skidding to a halt just short of the water. _

_"Don't just stand there, help me find 'em!" Sam yelled. "I don't see them anywhere!" _

_Merry and Pippin, looking quite alarmed, scrambled a few minutes just looking around before stepping in the water. But then on the farther side of the River, Merry spotted Frodo's moppy hair coming out of the water and climbing onto a rock. _

_"There!" he said, pointing over in Frodo's direction. "There they are!" Sam and Pippin spun around to see Frodo helping Angie onto the rock. _

_"Frodo! Are you all right!" Sam asked. _

_Frodo's head shot up, thankful to see them. As he pulled Angie up the rest of the way, he called back, "I'm fine! Angie's hit her head, though, on a rock! We'll be over!" _

_"Ow!" _

_Then he looked over at Angie who was holding her skirt to her forehead, which had a small gash near her hairline. _

_"Are you okay?" Frodo asked. She moved her skirt's edge away for him to see, and he recoiled a bit. "Oh, I'm so sorry," he said. "I didn't mean for it-" _

_"It's fine, Frodo," Angie said. "Just a tiny bump and it won't leave much of a scar. And if it does, I'll wear it proudly because I had fun with my best friends while doing it. One of those scars with a special story to it that I'll always remember." _

_"You shouldn't had to've had a scar to remember it," he said guiltily. _

_"Oh, I've got loads of 'em," she said, waving him off as she stood. "Nothing I'd lament over." He still felt bad as she let her skirt fall back down near her feet and skipped to the neighboring rock. _

_x x x _

_Angie winced a bit as Bilbo leaned over her, smoothing out the last of his homemade remedy over her inch-long slit. The others were standing around as she sat in one of the kitchen chairs. She felt reallydumb having all this attention over such a little cut, but she said nothing to protest except groan some at the medicine's sting. _

_"There we are," Bilbo said slowly, leaning away from Angie now. "Lucky you were, my dear, that you weren't hurt worse than this! Had you hit your head at a different angle, you might've loss consciousness and drowned!" _

_Angie felt extremely dumb. She just nodded and looked down at her swinging feet as Frodo shifted uncomfortablly in his spot._

_"You all need to be more careful around that River. It's not fun and games all the time. It's a dangerous place to play. Next time, I'd appreciate it if you stayed away from there and save me the worry," Bilbo said, washing his hands. His tone was still calm, however. He walked back over to them with a smile now that things were settling down a bit. _

_"Uncle, I really am sorry," Frodo said, stepping forward. "It was just some fun. No one was meant to get hurt." _

_"Well she's not hurt seriously at all, so be thankful," Bilbo said. Then he looked down at Angie again who wasn't willing to make eye contact with any of them. "Don't fret over it, you're okay," Bilbo said, patting her shoulder. "It's hidden by your hair, so you won't suffer socially." Angie giggled a bit. _

_"Yes, I guess I'm fortunate there as well," she said. _

_"At least you've got these wonderfully handy lads to look after you. I don't see how the five of you could become separable," Bilbo said, turning his back on them. _

_Angie smiled weakly. She looked up at her friends. Merry held out his hand, and he and Frodo both helped her stand. All eyes immediately went to her cut, but she thought nothing of it. She didn't blame Frodo at all if that's what he was thinking (and she knew he was); it was her fault all of this had started. _

_"Well, how about dinner and supper here tonight?" Bilbo said. "I've just refilled the pantry, and I'm sure you all won't object to that." _

_In fact, none of them had. Bilbo shooed them out of the kitchen and into the main room, but they wandered into the study to the right of the door, their favorite room. They sat in a circle on the rug thinking of what to occupy themselves with until dinner was ready. Frodo kept glancing over at Angie still feeling bad, but as the night wore on, she had forgiven him without a word - just an understanding smile. _

.. x x x ..

Angie gave a surprising look in Gandalf's direction after his comment.

"As a matter of fact I was helping Sam with the grass," she replied with a heated tone. Then she sighed, releasing her tension somewhat if that were at all possible. "Gandalf, we heard raised voices and saw a shadow. We thought Bilbo might've come back to visit and we wanted to see him again. But in case it wasn't Bilbo, we weren't about to let Frodo take him on alone."

Frodo and Gandalf exchanged looks before Gandalf looked back down at Sam.

"Is that the matter of it?" he asked the frightened hobbit lad.

"Yes, sir, it is!" Sam said.

"What did you hear?" Gandalf said, directing the question to both Sam and Angie now. "Speak!"

"Well, a lot actually," Angie said, now climbing through the window. "You were talking about the Ring Bilbo always referred to in his stories and how it was magical and isbeing sought out by some Dark Lord in the Land of Mordor. You also referred to great danger numerous times, the creature named Gollum, um... Oh yes. And you tried to send Frodo off alone with this Ring of great, terrible, unknown power, not even certain yourself that he'd make it to Bree alive with it."

Frodo and Gandalf alike we looking at her somewhere between shock and surprise. She had remembered all that? She and Sam must've been there a long time. Frodo continued to look on at her in amazement. Plus, she had a point about the whole sending-him-off-to-Bree-with-doubt thing.

"You heard everything then..." Gandalf said slowly.

"With all due respect, Gandalf, us hobbit lasses have ears just as well as the lads do," she said, motioning to Sam who was still being held to the table by Gandalf. The wizard looked down at Sam who was looking back terrified.

"Please, Mister Gandalf sir, don't hurt me!" Sam pleaded quickly. "Don't turn me into anything unnatural! I didn't mean to, I swear!"

"No, perhaps not," Gandalf said with a smile growing as he looked up at Frodo. "I've thought of a better use for you..."

He let Sam stand, and the hobbit sighed a big sigh of relief with a smile to Angie and Frodo both.

"Frodo, get Samwise a few provisions for the trip. He will be accompanying you along the road. If you haven't remembered from your stakeout, you will meet with me in the village of Bree at the Prancing Pony Inn," Gandalf said. "Make haste; we'll be leaving before sunrise in about an hour."

"What about me?" Angie asked hopefully. "I can get my own provisions at my home. I can be ready in no time, and I-"

"You will not be coming," Gandalf said, turning his back to her.

"What?" Angie asked incredulously. "But I'm involved! I heard the whole thing and understood it better than Sam did! No offense, Sam. I didn't really mean it like that."

"None taken, Miss Angie," Sam replied quietly.

"Angela-"

"But Gandalf, I want to save the Shire, too! It's my home, I'm involved, so why can't I? I want to help just as much as Sam does! Do I not have the right to make sure Frodo is safe along the road? I am his friend, and I believe it should be his place to decide if I can or cannot go with him, not yours, even though you have my 'better interests' in mind," Angie said to him softly as not to upset him.

"Well, you would be correct," Gandalf, said. "Frodo, it looks as if you hve a decision to make. What do you choose?"

Frodo was in a fix now. He wanted so much that Angie be with him and Sam during their venture to Bree (since it wasn't too far off)and for her to be happy and feel useful, yet, he wanted her safe and unharmed here in Hobbiton. Such a dilemma sent his mouth rambling with nothing but sounds that made no words or sense.

"You see? He does not want to disappoint either of us," Gandalf said, patting Angie on the shoulder. "But I'm afraid I will not risk anymore lives than I must."

"But Sam-!"

"Go home, Angela Ridell," Gandalf said sternly. "Not another word."

Angie felt hot tears of anger welling up inside the lip of her eyelids. She looked over at Sam and Frodo longingly. She wanted to be with Frodo to make sure he would be safe. Nothing more would please her than to walk beside himon their road to Bree. But since she did not want them to see her tears, she tore her eyes away from them and angrily jumped out of the window, running.

Frodo watched as she jumped out of the window only to find himself wishing that she would return through it. But that was not to happen, and since it was made clear now, Frodo was glad she would at least be safe (yet not content) here in the Shire.

"Well, hurry now," Gandalf said, bringing him back to his senses. "You've got a long road. You don't want to run out of food on the way to Bree, do you?"

x x x

Later on that morning Gandalf led them and his horse to the beginning of the road near the edge of a familiar wood as the twilight began to lighten the sky and bring warmth to the chilled morning air.

"Be careful, both of you," Gandalf advised, rushing along the path. "The enemy has many spies in his service; birds, beasts."

Once they had stopped, Gandalf looked down at Frodo asking, "Is it safe?"

Frodo gave a faint smile and patted the small pocket on the front of his vest. Gandalf knelt down in front of him placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, yet Frodo could sense its weight with what felt of guilt on Gandalf's behalf. He felt a bit uneasy at this.

"Never put it on, for the agents of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power," the wizard told him. "Always remember Frodo: the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found."

Frodo nodded respectively as the great wizard arose and took his place on his horse. Gandalf then rode off without so much as a look back at the two hobbits. Frodo looked back at Sam with a faint smile, but before his first footfall had rested on the ground, he heard noises.

He and Sam looked around frightfully as leaves rustled and the sound of faint laughter could be heard. Not knowing whether it was to be that of friend or foe, Frodo and Sam both reached for fallen tree branches nearby as the origin of all their sudden panic flew out of the bushes beside them and fell to the ground at their feet giggling.

"Hello Frodo, Sam. Long time, no see."

Frodo and Sam were relieved to see that it was only Angie who had been there, but then again, she wasn't supposed to be. She had a big pack just like Sam and Frodo did, and she brushed herself off as she stood up.

"What are you doing here?" Frodo asked.

"Yes; didn't Gandalf tell you to go on home?" Sam asked her. "You shouldn't be here! If he would've caught you-"

"But he didn't," Angie said, cutting Sam short. "That was the plan. If he had caught me, I would've never gotten out of Hobbiton, now would've I?"

"Angie, please go back," Frodo said. "You could get hurt out here and-"

"So could you," she replied, countering his comment. "I care about your safety and well-being just as much as Sam does, and I'm coming to Bree with the both of you. Plus, I want to get out and see what little of Middle Earth I can outside of the Shire. Did you seriously think Gandalf was gonna stop me? Who's he to tell me what I can and cannot do?"

She flashed a smile as she began down the path into the woods. Frodo and Sam exchanged a how-did-she-do-that-now-what-do-we-do look. Then Frodo rolled his eyes and started after her, Sam bringing up the rear.

"Angie, I really don't think this is a good idea," Frodo whispered. "When we get to Bree, what do you suppose Gandalf will say?"

"Well, if we are to go on, he'll just have to get used to me being in the picture. But if we are to turn around at Bree and come back here, he'll still have to live with it," Angie said.

"But aren't you worried about makin' Mister Gandalf mad?" Sam asked.

"Not as much as I think I am," she said. "I understand where he's coming from with not wanting to risk more lives, but the risk is worth taking to make sure you're all right, Frodo. And the... adventure, of course," she quickly added.

He gave a smile. She really did care if he was all right. He looked back at Sam with the same smile, but Sam only quirked an eyebrow. Frodo turned back around. He was right to trust his instinct; having Angie along was the better of the two choices Gandalf had given him.

Yet it was still very bad. He had forgotten about how she worked wonders on him, made his stomach do flip flops, and made his heart skip beats when she simply smiled. And all of this suddenly occuring in these past three months? Now Frodo had two things to worry about: The Ring getting to Bree safely, and Angie torturing him the whole way there.

And the rest of his life. That, too.

**. Please Review .**


	8. The Road

(A/N - I'm happy to be getting more responses and constructive criticism to this story. I know it needs a lot of work and attention to details, plot, Angie's character, and I'm so glad to be getting more input from you guys! It's really cool, and now I have the challenge of trying to meet the expectations you have to make the story even better. So thank you for all the comments and suggestions, and I really do love it! I'm hurrying to update today, though; I have another long day of county fair duties at the marching band booth starting at one! Eek!)

. Reviewers .

x) Psalm 136 - A lot of people have said this story is not what they expected at all (in a good way), and I am so happy that you stumbled upon this and gave it a chance! The outside summary isn't nearly as good as the one inside which is why I had to put the 'Full Summary Inside' tag at the beginning. Having her fit in is still a little difficult, but I'm think of anything to make it flow. And yes, the beloved flashbacks! It's like a whole other story, and I do love writing it to get away from the War of the Ring plot. Again, I am so excited to have you as a new reviewer, and I hope to hear from you more! Thanks! Enjoy the chapter!

x) Meeker Beeker - I take the criticism you gave me to heart, and thank you so much for saying what you did. I went back, reread that little part in the first chapter, and you do have a point. I promise you that is the only real fight you'll see with Angie and her mother, but I completely understand about it being the nightmarish past of the Mary-Sue. Don't worry, though; you won't see Angie's mom again for a while! You'll see if you choose to come back and read some more! I really do appreciate what you have said, and being the perfectionist I am, I really was excited to get criticism. Thank you so much for your review, and I hope to hear from you again!

x) Frodo's girl - Who could forget you, Ellie? LoL.. You're a faster reader than me obviously! We've exchanged lots of emails since I've updated last, but I'm glad you liked the rest of it, too! Don't let the secret out, though. ;) Well, now that I've finally updated, I'm proud of myself, LoL.. And you've already given me so much advice, it's awesome. Thanks for all the tedious time you spend on me and reading my crap, LoL (j/k). I think we're partners in crime now! Woot! Haha... Thanks for the review, write back soon, and enjoy this chapter! Again!

x) ArwenEvenstar83 - I do not mind at all that you use my xxx's, LoL. They aren't copyrighted anyways! And yes, I found it odd that hobbits can't swim, either, but hey, it's one of those quirky little things that belongs to a species, isn't it? Men can't lick their elbows, hobbits can't swim, you understand. Just a natural thing. I can't wait to see what you think of this chapter! Thank you for reviewing, and have fun with the new chapter! Huzzah:)

x) SouthernCharm83 - LoL.. Since when is Angie compliant? Rebel hobbit! Haha.. I'm glad you appriciate the good grammar because I always appreciate the advice and compliments, so thank you. And yes, the journey is now starting to pick up, so have fun! It's a slow start, I know, but things do get so much better. Trust me. And OMG! Another PotC fan! I LOVED the sequel, LoL. I hope to see it again before school starts because I'm obsessive... Anyways... Thank you, and enjoy the chapter!

x) Dragon-Slayer-of-the-4th-Realm - I am a cooperative person, so long as the other party's requests and stuff are reasonable. I still put song lyrics in my fics (I don't know if you're a Back To The Future fan, but my little one-shot 'Light Up The Sound' has lyrics to a song), and I even had me and my friends meet our favorite band in my first Just An Odd Pirate Story (Linkin Park! Woot! LoL). I only had one story taken off the site because it had too many celebrities and was written in chat room form, but it got a heck of a lot of reviews (I rewrite fairy tales with Pirates of the Caribbean characters and celebrities, lol). I'm still trying to figure out how to file a complaint on this site though.I can't find an email or anything. And don't worry - they can't chase me off THAT easily. I haven't gotten one bad review yet! Thanks for the review, and enjoy! PS - Twilight Zone! Woot!

x) Elwing-Evenstar - Ooo, you think about every little thing that could happen, don't you? Haha..I love that! Openmindedness rules (that word looks REALLY long, lol)! Elrond? Hmm.. I'm writing the Council chapter now, so I'm working on it! I hope you can be patient, LoL.. I've got a few other stories to update after this real quick, but I will have chapter nine here in no time! Thanks for reviewing! Have fun with chapter eight in the mean time!

.. SO HAPPY with all the reviews I got! Thanks guys! ..

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Eight .  
**.. The Road ..

_The next day, Frodo, Sam, Angie, and Pippin met at the Fortress ready to decide on their activity of interest for the day. But Merry was missing, and they couldn't pretend to be on Bilbo's magnificent adventure with their Goblin King absent. After an impatient wait on their behalf, the group made their way over to the Brandybuck's stay-home when Merry appeared coming out of the door. _

_"Merry, come on," Pippin said. "We've been waiting for you to show up, but we got so tired of waiting, we came to storm the fort!" _

_"I can't really come out today, sorry," Merry said with a disappointed look on his face. "Mum said we're leaving for Buckland later tonight, and I've got quite a bit of packing to do." _

_"Packing for Buckland?" Angie asked. "So soon? It's only the beginning of summer! I thought you all decided to stay in Hobbiton anyways since you haven't stayed in Buckland longer than a month lately. Why, you only went there for a week last year and-" _

_"We still live there," Merry said, sitting on the porch with his freinds. "Mum just thinks it might be time to go back for a while. Maybe as long as a year." _

_"A year!" Pippin shouted. "Well, gosh, Merry. I'm due to back to Tuckborough soon, too, but not that long!" _

_"Please don't go," Angie begged. _

_"But I have to," Merry said grumpily. "My grandmum's better now, so I guess we'll be seeing a lot less of each other." _

_Angie remembered that as a sullen look fell upon her suddenly; when she had first met Merry and Pippin, Merry had told her that they were from Buckland and that they had only come until his grandmother was better. That was six years ago when she was about seven years old. How time flies. She was happy his grandmother was well again, but parting with one of her best friends would be so difficult. How could she do it? _

_Frodo and Pippin looked rather upset at the news as well, but Sam humphed and folded his arms, feeling somewhat better now that they were leaving. But then again, it would be less fun for them all. Even the prey of Merry and Pippin's insanity was willing to agree to that. _

_"Wait," Pippin said, jumping up suddenly. "I've got an idea!" _

_"What?" Frodo asked, perplexed with the rest of them. _

_"Give me a half hour and I'll have everything straightened out." _

_At this, Pippin ran inside, slamming the door in their faces. Each of them exchanged rather confused looks as Merry opened the door to a crack, and the four of them peered inside curiously. Pippin was being led into the kitchen by Esmerelda, Merry's mother, confusing them even more. _

_"What is he up to?" Merry asked. Heopened the door fully so that they could all creep inside on light toes. _

_Merry led the way in followed by Angie, Sam, then Frodo. They heard Esmerelda's voice coming back through the hall, and Merry whispered 'Duck!' as he pushed them all into the nearest room on their right. _

_"Get back inside!" he whispered, pushing them against the wall next to the door. Angie recognized this as his father's sitting room where he would regulary smoke his long birch pipe passed on from his great-grandfather. And someday Merry would get it. How comforting. _

_"Can I get you anything to drink, Peregrin?" they all heard Merry's mother say from up the hall in the kitchen. Pippin accepted the offer for a cup of tea, and Esmerelda poured it and returned to the dining room. _

_"Since when is he winning over your Mum so easily?" Angie asked. _

_"Mum's always liked him as her long lost son!" Merry said. "You all should know that. She just always saw him as a bad influence on me. He's herfavorite nephew..."_

_"I agree," Frodo muttered. _

_"Don't seem that way now," Sam huffed. "Welcomes him with open arms, hot tea, and a big comfy chair for being your partner in crime!" _

_"Nice way of putting it, but again, favorite nephew," Merry said as he leaned out the doorway to peer up the hall. "Come on. Let's go." _

_Again they went up the hall trying as quietly as they could not to make a sound. Merry was getting more anxious and more jumpy by the second with each footfall he heard from his friends as they got closer to the dining room. What if they were caught? _

_CLUNK _

_Merry stopped dead in his tracks, his whole body becoming still as a statue. He shifted his eye over his shoulder while turning his head slightly to see that Angie had knocked over the endstand, but luckily nothing was on it. Still, that was enough to draw the attention of his mother and Pippin out of the kitchen withbewildered faces. _

_"Err... Angie, Frodo, and Sam here were thirsty," Merry said, trying to cover for them as he stood. _

_"Well you won't find anything creeping along the wall, Merry," Pippin said. "No spouts there!" _

_Merry glared at him as Esmerelda helped her son to her feet. _

_"Well, I'm sure I can manage to bring out the big tea kettle," she said with a pleasant smile to them all. "And while we have that cup of tea, there's something we need to disgust that concerns you all." _

_Each of them looked wildly over at Pippin who stood next to Merry's mother rocking on his toes proudly. Esmerelda patted Pippin on the head as she swept back into the kitchen, and he raised his hand in thanks. _

_"Pippin, what have you said to her?" Merry asked, a bit of anger hinted in his voice. _

_"I merely requested that she kindly give me a ride back toTuckborough tonight since it's not that far out of the way to Buckland," Pippin said, rubbing his dirty nails on his vest and blowing on them. "Not to mention that she caught onto my little scheme and invited me to come to Buckland with you, Merry,and also agreed to take any other willing riders with the names of Baggins, Gamgee, and Ridell..." _

_All of their eyes got big as they circled around Pippin. _

_"You mean you talked my mum into having Frodo, Angie, Sam, and yourselfstay with us in Buckland?" Merry asked incrediously. "Well, that's a fine gesture, Pip, but you've overlooked the part where I'm staying for a year!" _

_"No I haven't," he said. "I'm sure Bilbo's not going to give a care if Frodo visits his old home again, the Gaffer lets Sam take a holiday, myparents surely won't mind,and I highly doubt that Angie's mum is gonna even miss her at all. She'll be glad to get rid of ye!" _

_"But not if it's you I'm running off with," Angie said. "My mum hates all of you!" _

_"All the more reason to rub in her pudgy little face that she has no control over your life," Pippin said, swinging an arm around her. "You'll show her!" _

_"No I won't!" Angie said. "I can't just up and run away." _

_"You do it all the time," Merry said. _

_"Yes, well... not clear to Buckland." _

_"You see that, Pip? Her mum's got boundries forced into her innocent head!" _

_"Innocent?" Frodo asked. "Hardly. She's always running around with hobbits like you and you call her innocent?" _

_"Oh, come off it," she said. "You're just as bad, Frodo. You may not corrupt me as much as Merry and Pippin do, but you are just as guilty." _

_Frodo's eyes grew big in surprise of that accusation, but before he could put up a continuing and convincing arguement, Merry's mother had motioned them all into the kitchen for their tea. Frodo held his tongue reluctantly; she had won again. _

_x x x _

_"Well, it seems that Peregrin has brought a very interesting thought to my attention," Esmerelda said now sitting down after serving them all tea. _

_They glared in Pippin's direction who glared back with that don't-you-glare-at-me-and-spoil-my-fun-because-you-can't look. And that's what Merry, Frodo, Angie, and Sam were afraid of: that Pippin was up to something of ill fortune to them all._

_"And what would that be, Mum?" Merry asked, not letting Pippin go with his angered eyes._

_"He has come in to ask for aride back toTuckborough which I found completely fine," Esmerelda continued. "And then, sweet little innocent Pippin put on his miseable face and sighed, wishing that there was some way he could be with his beloved friends without the long, lonelywait. If only there were some way you could see them, eh, Peregrin?" she asked, throwing him a look._

_"Um... Pippin, if you would, ma'am," he replied with a nervous laugh._

_"Yes, well... I thought it over in the five seconds he allowed me after all of his hints and prods, so I agreed. I will take him, Frodo, Sam, and Angela with us to Buckland until our next return if you so wish."_

_Faces lit up around the table, but faded almost as fast as they had lightened._

_"It's a fine offer Ms. Brandybuck," Sam said. "I will see what my Gaffer has to say about the matter."_

_"Yes, I shall have to see as well," Angie said with a devious smile, a plan formulating in her head already on how she would get out. The look on her mother's face would be priceless. Too bad she'd be on her way to Buckland and would miss it._

_"There is a push on you to hurry in your decision I'm afraid," Ms. Brandybuck explained. "The carriage leaves tonight at dusk. You have about six hours. Meet us here if you are willing and able to go."_

_"Will do, Ms. B!" Pippin shouted excitedly, standing up from his chair. "See you in six hours!"_

.. x x x ..

As Frodo stood with his stick firmly in the ground thinking, he watched as Angie marched on ahead through the wood, cutting her own path. He shook his head, realizing that this was wrong. He ran on ahead to walk next to her, giving all the effort he had to talk her out of it.

"Angie, please, go back," he said. "This isn't something you should be doing."

"Well I'm doing it," she said. "I won't change my mind. No matter what you say."

"No matter what, huh?" Frodo asked.

"No matter what."

Frodo was determined not to let her go now, knowing that Gandalf had been right. Just being out here made Frodo feel very exposed and vulnerable, and no doubt that Sam was feeling the same way. But Sam could handle himself. Sure he was a bit naive, but he-

Frodo smiled.

"Even if I told you you couldn't because you're a girl and I didn't feel you could handle it?" he asked hopefully.

"Nope," Angie said. "So it stings a bit, no big deal. That's what Gandalf said. My being a girl has nothing to do with this. It's about being smart and clever, tricky and cunning, swift and quiet..."

"If you had half the brain I think you had, you'd realize that this is dangerous and it's pointless for you to come and endanger yourself," Frodo said. He didn't mean to sound harsh, but then again he did. How else was he going to get her to turn around and go back?

"That won't work either," she said. "I'm very aware of the dangers, thank you. I'm here to make sure you're safe, just like Sam. You're stuck with me, Frodo."

"What if I told you I'd never speak to you again if you didn't?"

"I'd still come."

"Why?"

"Because in my conscience's reckoning, seeing you in the streets and not being able to talk to you is better than never seeing you in the streets at all. And besides, you'd talk to me again anyways."

Frodo cursed himself mentally. Then he opened his mouth again, but she beat him.

"And yelling at me and making me mad isn't going to work," she said as if reading his mind. "I can't stay mad at you, and you can't stay mad at me, so just accept my presence."

Frodo stopped in his tracks, and Sam passed him before he started walking again.

"Give up, Frodo!" Angie called back with a humor-filled voice. "You can't get rid of me!"

"I can try my darndest," he muttered before saying to her over Sam's head, "And what if I'd push you off a cliff?"

"Well, there's a few things," she said. "Either you wouldn't and still be stuck with me; I'd pull you with me; or if you did it as a surprise and I did fall to my death, I'd come back to haunt you."

Frodo shrugged his shoulders as they continued on. They really was no getting rid of her, was there? No getting through to her at all, huh? He remained silent for the remainder of the morning and afternoon, still trying to think of something he could say to make her go back, but all the while they only got further from Hobbiton, as did the likeliness of getting Angie to turn back.

x x x

Camp was made at sunset after Sam had reminded them that Gandalf only wanted them to travel by day. At the base of a large tree in the wood they settled quietly for the night, Sam already sitting down on a root making them dinner and puffing on his pipe. Angie had jumped into the big tree reading a book she had brought along in a big crook where the branches split from the base. Eventually Frodo decided to take up his pipe as Sam had, and he thought he might try to talk to Angie again, but perhaps not about her going back. Maybe about accepting his apology.

"Mind if I sit up here?" he asked Angie who was nestled in the tree and lost in her book. She shook her head and scooched back into the tree more, giving him room to come and prop his feet up as well. She stayed sitting in a hunch still reading however.

Frodo looked over at her, so desperate to get her to go back but then again not. It would interfere with her happiness, and he couldn't do that to her. He decided not to pest her anymore on the subject. Frodo knew that if it was the other way around, he would not want her telling him to go back when all he wanted was to help her and see knew places. No, he would not say another word about it. Just try to say he was sorry for earlier that day.

Angie had the sensation that someone was watching her, and she peered over her book to find it only to be Frodo, and she lowered her book.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"No," he said, coming out of his revelry. "Nothing at all."

After a few moments passed, Angie was distracted from her reading again by what sounded like distant singing.

"What is that?" she asked as Sam and Frodo listened.

"Wood-elves," Frodo said with a smile. They leapt from their spots and ran to hide behind a long fallen log after spotting a band of Elves traveling slowly westward. They glowed dimly and sang beautifully. Frodo understood the song for the most part.

"They're going to the harbor beyond the White Towers," Frodo whispered to Angie and Sam. "To the Grey Havens."

"They're leaving Middle-Earth," Sam said.

"Never to return."

"I don't know why. It makes me sad," Sam said.

After listening a few more moments, Angie left Sam's side and headed back to the camp. She climbed back into the tree where her things were and covered up with her cloak, still angry with Frodo and Sam. It wasn't long after that when they came back to find her shouting for her in whisper, and Frodo found her.

"Angie! Why did you leave? What's wrong?" he asked, standing there in front of the crook of the tree.

She turned over on her other side to face them as Sam came up next to Frodo.

"Well, I would appreciate it if from now on you'd stop trying to get rid of me," she said coldly. "I'm here by my choice. If I want to help, I will. But you don't make it any easier."

Frodo and Sam's faces went guilty. They looked at her sheepishly.

"Beggin' your pardon, Miss Angie," Sam began, "but we're only lookin' out for you. We care for you, too."

"This isn't about me," she said, sitting up. "This is about Frodo and getting him and that Ring to Bree."

"Fine," Frodo said quietly and rather apologetically. "Not another word from us. I am sorry for this morning, by the way. I wanted to tell you."

"Thank you," she said. "I just want to help. War's coming, we've all heard it. Aren't I just one more tally for the good side? Or don't girls count?"

"We never meant that," Sam said. "It's just... Well, I don't think Middle-Earth's ever had a hobbit lass inhabit it with such a strong will to go against... against the ways of... well, the way things have always been."

"In other words, I'm abnormal?" she asked.

"No, not abnormal, just... different."

"Well my mother made that very apparent Sam, thank you," she said. "And if you're going to blame anyone, blame Merry and Pippin. I think I would've turned out fine hadn't it been for those two."

Frodo laughed, hopping up into the tree next to her.

"We're not going to blame anyone," he said with a smile. "Not when you're the perfect person to have around. You are bright, you are funny, and you are pretty. How can that be bad?"

Angie felt so much like letting a tear slip out of her eye. But she didn't. She only smiled at him and Sam, her throat tightening on her.

"Being different isn't always bad, Miss Angie," Sam said. "If you were the same as all the hobbit lasses, we would've never had the colorful childhood we did."

"And that's saying something," Frodo said. "We're happy you're here, just... concerned. Understand that."

"I do, but don't worry," Angie said finally. "Worry less about me and more about you. You hold the fate of this world, Frodo. It's no matter of jokes."

"Did I say it was?" he asked.

"Um, can we get off that subject and on with dinner?" Sam asked with a hesitant look at the two of them. "Talking about evil before you eat sort of ruins the meal, if you ask me."

Angie laughed and agreed to dinner so long as no mention of her going back was brought up anymore on their road to Bree. Frodo smiled at her as she jumped out of the tree, feeling much better now. Angie smiled, too.

But she was hungrier for dinner than she could've guessed. After a second helping, she bid Frodo and Sam goodnight, hopping back into the tree. She sighed lightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable not sleeping in a bed. But soon enough, her tired self could care less after their day's long and endless walk, and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

**. Please Review .**


	9. The Riders

(A/N - Okay, guys. Here's what's up. I started school today (yes! I love it! lol), and I am a senior this year. Despite taking many college-level and advanced placement courses, I have a study hall all year 3rd period. It's weird because I haven't had a study hall since the 7th grade, but it's VERY good. The hard drive in my computer here at home needs replacing because it's preformance is totally shot, so we're getting a new one in a few weeks (I hope). Until then, the library in school will be open in a week or two, and I will be able to write from there until the one here is fixed. So just to let you know I have a legitamite excuse as to my delays, LoL. And I need a new USB flash drive because my orange one with all my stories and life on it is being held together with mask9ing tape right now, lol. So thanks! Enjoy!)

. Reviewers .

x) delusional anvil - New reviewer and nice name, lol. So excited! I'm SO happy about your review! I'm not used to all the compliments about having a great story, but I am glad that my writing is improving over these passed two years to get such feedback! A lot of people say this is a great FrodoOC, and I am glad to have you as another! Also excited to here that you like the flashbacks - they are so fun to write and so crucial at some points! They will be in the future, anyways, or they'll just give you a break from all the Ring drama, lol. Well, thank you so much for your review, and I hope you continue to read with us and review! Enjoy it!

x) TheLoneShe-Elf - I will keep writing, LoL. Once I start something this big, I can't stop it unless it's too horrible even for my eyes to look at, LoL. Glad you keep coming back for more! Have fun reading on! Thanks for your review!

x) Dragon-Slayer-of-the-4th-Realm - Oh please, LoL. i've got more than I can handle right now, too! No gripes from writer to reviewer - you guys keep me going and I have no place to threaten your life if you don't review, LoL. however, in the reverse situation, things are different, LoL. And look for me here always! I'll be here! Thanks and enjoy!

x) jennaalissa - Yes! Another person who uses random sayings and things for send-offs! Woot! LoL.. I love doing stuff like that. Anyhoo, glad to hear that you have been reading for a while now! I guess I've slowed down so much you can catch up now, huh? LoL.. Well, I hope you keep reading, because things only get more interesting and better from here on in. Thanks for the review, and enjoy the chapter!

x) bdrake07 - Is 2007 your graduation year? LoL... Cuz it's mine. I'd figure I'd ask with the name and all, but nevermind! Just glad to see yet another new name in the review bin! I'm also happy to see another person that likes the Angie and Frodo relationship thus far, but as far as Merry and Pippin go, I know in the end you'll feel satisfied with how it goes. They feel jealous sometimes, but othe emotions with be incorporated. Anyhoo, enough talk. I will let you read now! Thanks for the review, and enjoy!

x) Kenny - Omg, I updated 'I Love This Song!' How proud are you of me? LoL.. And as for Gold-Plated Gold, I'm thinking of doing something different with that now. Maybe not making it us that goes on the adventure, but having it be another set of friends. You know, because there's not a lot of response because no one will understand it if they don't read three huge other stores first. Plus, there's some things I wanna change, including making each section less lengthy! LoL.. Well, besides that, the last chapter was the same legnth as the others... All chapters for this story are 3200 words (1600 bottom and 1600 top), 3500 max. Maybe you're just over anticipating this chapter, LoL. Well, wait no more! It has arrived! Thanks forr reviewing and enjoy it!

x) Independentskater - Yes yes YES! LoL... I LOVE it! I'm sorry, but I do. I'm so happy to hear from reviewers like you that tell me I'm in character and have a great relationship and story building and have one of the best FrodoOCs on the site! It just gets me so motivated, LoL. And yet, you are another new reviewer! I'm getting so many and I love it! And I am so happy to have you as one of them! I REALLY hope you keep reading because I know you will just love it. Thanks for all the nice things you said, haha! Keep reading, thanks for reveiwing, and most importantly, enjoy the chapter!

x) Southern Charm83 - Yes, Merry and Pippin arrive in this chapter! Woot! LoL.. And I have read stories where people fall asleep in trees, wake up, forget where they are, and fall out. It's quite comical until I find out they're hurt. _Observes moment of silence for people who get hurt falling out of trees when asleep _Okay. Better. Now, yes! Merry and Pippin are coing and they shall add to it all, and I will write it all! And I know you're dying to read it all, LoL. So I'll let you do just that. Thanks for another review, and enjoy!

x) Frodo's girl - My brother does nothing but play video games, but now that he's starting preschool September 6th, things shall change, LoL. And you know what? Half the time I go and reread things I have written a while ago and sit there and honestly do not remember writing that part of the story, LoL. Like, certain sentences and sections and stuff. Like, I'll sit there and be like, 'Aww, this is so cool!' and rememeber seconds later that I myself had written it, LoL. But as for now, I'm working on how far I can stretch my patience with my computer not working and school starting, so I'm busy. I'll update again sooner, I hope! Til then, thanks for a great dedication in your review, and I hope you keep rereading, LoL.

x) waterswind - I'm very glad that you do like it and even happier to see another new reviewer! I hope you continue to read on, because the story will only get better as it progresses! Thanks for you review! Please keep reading and enjoy!

x) Elwing-Evenstar - Well, as for Pippin going to Tuckborough, he's not, LoL. He's going to Buckland, too! Maybe the way I worded it was misleading... Anyhoo, yes! They will be leaving this chapter! Woot! And I'm glad you've had the patience to wait for more since I haven't had the time. Thanks for the great review, and please enjoy the chapter below!

.. If this '11-ppl-per-chapter' thing keeps up, I'll have to seperate the new reviews from the old ones, LoL ..

**. Chapter Nine .  
**.. The Riders ..

_Angie was more than thrilled as she raced back to her family's hobbit hole. She was going to Buckland to stay with her best friends, and her mom couldn't stop her so long as she got out quickly and quietly enough (which that was a cinch in Angie's eyes). _

_She crept through her strawberry patch after dashing across Hobbiton filled with excitement, opened her bedroom window, and slipped inside onto her bed. Then she heard sounds moving closer towards her bedroom door. She held her breath and looked up in horror as her mother's footsteps shuffled in front of her door, and her fist came banging two seconds later._

_"Angie!" she called harshly (as she always did). "Open this door!"_

_Angie stifled a giggle in her hand as she gently stepped onto her floor and began to sprint around her room on her tiptoes to gather the belongings she would take with her on her trip to Buckland with her friends. After a few minutes, her mother's rant subsided in its usual defeat, and Angie was still hurriedly running around her room making sure she hadn't forgot anything she wanted or needed to bring with her._

_Her eyes fell upon the small blue book that Frodo had lent her laying there all alone on the nightstand. Angie sighed in relief that she had caught sight of it before she left so that she could return it to him. She tucked it inside her basket, checked her room quickly a few more times, and then rushed up to her tiny bookcase._

_It would only be right to return the favor. Though she had a small collection and a select few that she really enjoyed, she was determined to give Frodo a story worth his while like he had given her. Nothing looked too appealing on the bookshelf, so she turned to her desk where she found her favorite book._

_"Perfect," she whispered, taking up the worn book that was decorated with several reds. _

_She smiled as she placed it next to Frodo's in the basket. Then she shook herself free of the moment, realizing that she had to hurry if she didn't want to miss her opportunity. She took up her sack and basket, climbing out of her room that was now stripped bare. She turned back to look at her room and said a silent goodbye to it before dropping down into her strawberry patch._

_Her strawberries! Merry and Pippin may behead her if she didn't bring any for the trip at least since she couldn't grow them there! She sighed as she began to toss a few into her basket and made her way out of the garden. She had plenty by the time she was out, but it looked as if Merry and Pippin would have to find other means of life support since her strawberries were no longer an option clear out in Buckland._

_The sun was sinking lower behind the hills as Angie ran swiftly and soundlessly across the grassy grounds to the Brandybuck's stay home. She saw her two best friends standing outside with their things surrounding them, and Angie ran up to them, thrilled that this was not a dream._

_"Ang! You made it!" Merry said as he and Pippin each swung an arm out to catch her before she went flying through the closed door behind them. She smiled, setting her things on the stone walk beside her._

_"Of course she made it," Pippin said. "Wouldn't let your old mum onto you, would you?" he asked. "She couldn't catch you with her swingin' broom anyways. You're too fast."_

_"Oh, I'm so excited!" she said. "Have Frodo or Sam arrived yet?"_

_"No, but Frodo should be on his way," Merry said. "He said he'd come at eight if he was to be here, and it's five til by dad's good ol' pocket watch."_

_"Pippin, I have to say that your little suggestion to Merry's mother was just what I needed," Angie said._

_"Yes, it was out there, but a good suggestion," Merry commented. Pippin stood next to Angie rocking proudly on his toes again._

_"Why thank you, my kind subjects," he said. "Feel free to grovel as well..."_

_Angie and Merry exchanged looks and together, they pushed him into the blueberry bush he was standing next to. They laughed as Pippin shrieked, fighting for his freedom of the blueberry bush. They were so caught up in their own laughter that none of them saw Frodo coming down the path with a bemused smile at the scene._

_"What is going on here?" he asked, bringing his presence to their attention._

_"Frodo!" Pippin shouted, his head popping out of the bush. "You made it! What about Sam? Is he coming?"_

_"I stopped along Bagshot Row, but it seems that Sam cannot make it, unfortunately," Frodo said with a regretful face. "The Gaffer's going to be needing him he said, and he also told me to have fun and said that he'll be here when we get back next summer."_

_"Aww, poor Sam," Angie said. She picked a blueberry out of Pippin's hair and popped it into her mouth quickly. "Well, we'll write him," she said matter-of-factly with a nod of her head._

_"It's not nice to talk with your mouth full," Pippin said. He found it a little odd that she had just plucked a blueberry from his hair and ate it without a problem._

_"I swallowed it," Angie said after doing so._

_"Merry!" _

_"Yes, Mum?" Merry shouted back._

_"Could you and Pippin come in here and help me finish packing these last few bags?" the voice of Esmerelda asked from within the hobbit hole._

_"Sure!" Merry said. "Come on, Pip. We'll be back in a jiffy," he reassured Frodo and Angie before running inside with Pippin._

_It was a long silence. Angie was glad that she finally got the opportunity to be alone with Frodo so that she return his book to him, but butterflies began to fill her stomach and make her a bit uneasy. She stopped wringing her hands and picked up her basket as Frodo started conversation to her relief._

_"I haven't been to Buckland since Uncle Bilbo brought me here," Frodo said quietly. "I had some closer relatives after the accident, but Bilbo wanted me as his heir which still baffles me a bit."_

_"Well, at least you have other relatives that would take you in," Angie said with a short huff of laughter. "Um, I have your book." _

_She extended it to him, and he smiled as he took it from her slowly._

_"You read just as fast as I do," he commented. "That's exceptionally good. Most hobbit lasses can't read, especially this young. Bilbo would say you have a talent."_

_Angie blushed as Frodo looked his book over and flipped through it._

_"He has said that I excel in education much better than other hobbit lasses before," Angie told him. "But I don't want it to be something I should flaunt about in others' faces who don't have that privilege."_

_"Oh no, of course not," Frodo said, about to put his book away. But Angie held out her hand to stop him, and he looked up at her._

_"Here," she said, placing the book in his hands. "It's one of my favorites, and I had to return the favor."_

_"Thank you," Frodo said as he tucked his own book and Angie's into his bag. "I'll take very good care of it, don't worry."_

_"I don't," she said, a pleased smile spreading across her face. _

_Suddenly, a loud series of thuds, crashes, and 'ow's!' came from inside the Brandybuck's stay home. Angie and Frodo's eyes got wide as they looked at the door. Angie let out a surprised scream as Merry, Pippin, and the bags they carried came flying out the door. They pummeled her to the ground after tripping over all the luggage which she was now pinned between._

_"Ow! Get off!" she hollered. Merry jumped up as he and Frodo helped Angie out of the avalanche of baggage, but Pippin still flailed around hopelessly._

_"Pippin, you bum!" Angie said, pulling his head out of the bags by his hair. "Were you trying to kill me?"_

_"No!" he choked. "The dog started chasing us! But really, if we did almost kill you, we'll have to remember that one, eh, Merry?"_

_"The dog?" Frodo asked. "You mean that harmless mutt that sits in your father's study not making a sound? He did this to you?"_

_"Oh yes," Pippin said sarcastically. "Any ravaging silent killer sounds good if you talk about it like that!"_

_"Stop your bellyaching, Peregrin," Esmerelda laughed as she came out of the hobbit hole, closing the door behind her. "The carriage has arrived!"_

_They all looked down at the end of the walk to see the large carriage there, and a warm feeling filled Angie. As she and her friends scooped up their bags and dashed for the carriage, her heart felt light as a feather now that she was free of her mother as far as she was concerned. _

_Once the coach had everything sorted out, the carriage began rolling down the hillside. Angie looked back in the direction of her home, waving goodbye to it, wishing it and her mother good riddance. The stars began to appear on the darkened half of the clear sky, and Angie stuck her head back inside the carriage, looking around at all of her friends. She locked eyes with Frodo momentarily and smiled; this was going to be better than she thought._

.. x x x ..

The first day of their journey had come and gone with Sam and Frodo still trying to talk Angie into going back to Hobbiton where she was much better off. She was getting very short with them as they persisted with their tactics, so Sam and Frodo finally let up realizing that she wasn't going back for anything now, even if she had left her head behind. Besides, she had brought a good many of her strawberries with her, so they didn't have reason to complain about her company.

That morning as the sun grew high into the sky, the three hobbits put space between them as they went through the thick of a cornfield. Frodo had the lead with Angie and Sam trailing not by much as they walked side by side, Sam trying one last time to get Angie to turn back.

"Miss Angie?"

"Sam, I'm not going back and that's final! We've discussed this!" she said with a short laugh.

"Yes, I know, but-"

"If you were in my position with everyone trying to hold you back so that you couldn't help Frodo, how would you-"

"Frodo," Sam said quickly, his eyes growing big. "Where's Frodo?"

"I'm sure he's not that far off," Angie said as Sam began to push forward on the path shouting Frodo's name. She rolled her eyes and trudged off after him as his shouts persisted until Frodo appeared from around the corner of the tall cornstalks. Sam sighed in relief.

"I thought I'd lost you, Mr. Frodo," Sam said.

"What are you talking about?" Frodo asked with an amused smile, looking past Sam at Angie.

"Just something that Gandalf said," Sam replied. "'Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee!' And I don't mean to."

Angie and Frodo came to either of Sam's sides with laughter present on their faces. Sam looked at both of them bending his brow in confusion as he asked, "What's so funny?"

"Sam, we're still in the Shire," Angie pointed out.

"Yes, Sam. What could possibly happen?" Frodo asked, not realizing that he had just jinxed them until he was pinned to the ground between it and the body of his cousin Pippin. Merry came flying out of nowhere next, taking down Angie and Sam.

"Frodo?" Pippin asked upon seeing his cousin under him. He looked over at his cousin. "Merry! It's Frodo!"

"Hello Frodo!" he said amusingly.

"Get off him!" Sam shouted, throwing Pippin off of Frodo. Angie got to her feet dusting off her dress when Pippin saw her.

"Angie! What are you all doing out here?" he asked. "What's the meaning of all this?"

Suddenly, they heard barking not too far off. All of their heads turned. That barking sounded oh too familiar...

"Hold this!" Merry said, dumping an armload of vegetables into Sam's arms.

"You've been in Farmer Maggot's crops!" Sam said angrily.

"Without me?" Angie asked them somewhat offended as the barking continued to get closer.

"Like we could find you when you're out here prancing around!" Pippin said as he pulled Frodo behind him as the began to run through the crops to lose the dog. Merry shoved Angie in front of him, leaving Sam there before he dropped the vegetables and ran after them.

"Dunno why he is so upset!" Merry said as they raced far from the path. "It's only a couple of carrots!"

"And some cabbages!" Pippin added, looking back to see if the three of them were still following him closely. "And those few bags of potatoes that we lifted last week-"

"Hey, I helped you with those!" Angie said.

"Never said you didn't!" Pippin said. "You also got the tomatoes from the week before, too, if you remember that one! You know, Merry, she did get those single-handedly. Maybe we shouldn't take the credit, though it seems Farmer Maggot doesn't care so long as he skins one of us!"

"Yes Pippin!" Merry said. "That's my point! He's clearly overreacting!"

"Clearly!" Angie huffed as if it were an understatement.

"Run!" Merry urged.

Just then, Pippin skidded to a halt at the top of a steep drop-off as Angie, Frodo, and Merry bumped into him softly. And just when they thought they were safe, Sam came barreling into them, sending them rolling down over rocks and roots until they landed soundly at the bottom emitting painful moans.

"Ooh! That was close!" Pippin said, referring to a pile of droppings inches from his face. Angie giggled somewhat; she hated it when she was trying to be furious at them and then they went and made her smile.

"Ow... I think I've broken something!" Merry groaned, pulling a large carrot out from under him that had snapped in half.

"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took!" Sam scolded as he sat up.

"What?" Merry asked innocently. "That was just a detour... a shortcut."

"Shortcut to what?" Angie asked miserably, trying to get to her feet with her large pack weighing her down.

"Mushrooms!" Pippin shouted as he, Merry, and Sam scrambled for a small patch or mushrooms lying at the base of the hill.

Angie rolled her eyes before looking around for Frodo who she saw standing in the middle of the road looking in the direction of the East end. Curious, she approached him, but he spoke suddenly, and she stopped in her tracks.

"I think we should get off the road," he said quietly before turning to them. Angie was standing behind him as the others fussed over the mushrooms near to where they had fallen. Suddenly, a faint, piercing shriek could be heard coming from the East. Alarmed, Frodo shouted, "Get off the road! Quick!"

Even though they had just joined in on the middle of the journey, not knowing its purpose and such, Merry and Pippin obeyed Frodo's plea, feeling an unheard of danger bearing down on them as well. Frodo grabbed Angie's wrist quickly and pulled her off of the road under an overhanging root of a large tree as Merry, Pippin, and Sam settled down next to them. The hooves got closer, increasing their fear until they had stopped. Then it was in full swing.

Angie closed her eyes feeling the largest lump in her throat that she could ever recall having. It must've been one of those agents of the Dark Lord Gandalf had mentioned. She looked over at Frodo as he looked up through a gap between the root and road. He pushed himself back into the earth more, giving Angie that feeling that her fear was realized and above them. He wants the Ring, she thought as he began sniffing and hissing about a foot above their heads.

Earthworms and other insects began to come out of the ground all around Frodo. Suddenly, a strong, lulling trance overtook him. His finger wandered towards that of the Ring. Frodo could not overpower the urge as his finger moved closer to it, and the voices all around him blurred but the message was still clear: put on the Ring.

As the dark figure loomed above them, Sam felt as if he could never be happy again. He looked over at the others. Merry and Pippin were biting their lips and Angie was looking out into space with a dreadful look on her face. But Frodo... Frodo had the Ring out! It was about to slip itself onto his finger when Sam reached over to stop it. To his relief, Frodo was snapped out of the trance and hid the Ring out of sight as Merry reluctantly threw their bag of spoils off in the direction the Black Rider had come from.

The Black Rider whirled around in the sound's direction and swept away hurriedly to find it as the hobbits dashed from under the overhanging root and fled a short distance. Frodo had to admit that that encounter was much too close for his liking, even though he had a feeling that there would be calls even closer than that.

As they stopped to regain their breath from the run and the fear that had taken hold on them, Merry asked with much intent on finding out more on the subject, "What was that?"

They all looked to Frodo who said nothing. He tucked away the Ring again, a feeling of angst sweeping over him briefly. He turned to his friends with a heavy weight of responsibility on him.

"We make for Bree," Frodo said, walking passed them.

"Whoa, wait a minute," Merry said. "What was that... that thing?"

"I don't know," Frodo lied. "Obviously it poses as a threat on our road, so let's make haste."

"Road?" Pippin asked. "We don't even know what's going on here! Where are you going? Why?"

"We are heading to the Prancing Pony Inn to meet Gandalf," Frodo said shortly. "That is all I can tell you for the time being. Perhaps later, if Gandalf permits, you can learn more of the reasoning behind all of this. But for now, we have to go. If you wish to come, walk in silence; those... things are dangerous."

Without question, they followed Frodo until nightfall came. Merry and Pippin's curiosity was starting to get the best of them, but if they wanted to know more, they would have to hold their tongues until their audience with Gandalf in Bree. Reasoning behind the journey? What could that possibly mean? Why would Gandalf have Frodo, Sam, and Angie travel all the way to Bree in the first place? Couldn't they discuss whatever it was at Bag End in the Shire? Or in the Green Dragon if they had to discuss it over a drink? Or maybe Gandalf couldn't travel that far because of some sort of 'business' he was always venturin' on... or perhaps-

"Over here!"

At the sound of Angie's hiss, they crossed the road and hid behind a tree as a nearby Black Rider atop the hill stood silent, as if waiting for something.

"Anything?" Pippin asked.

"Nothing," Frodo acknowledged.

"What is going on?" Pippin asked for the thousandth time.

"That Black Rider was looking for something," Merry said, glancing a Frodo who felt his eyes piercing him. "Or some_one_. Frodo?"

**. Please Review .**


	10. The Inn

(A/N - Howdy guys! Just got back from Movie Night at Youth Group, and I am updating! Sorry to say LotR was not ourr movie choice of the evening (National Treasure was, but that's okay cause I like that movie, too, lol), but I plan on watching TTT Extended Edition this weekend while I write some notes for the story. I've got some, but I'm hoping to go into more detail soon. Anyhoo, I've updated for you! And the only reason Big Ben wasn't up to par Monday Night is because he had the flu with a 104 fever and kept getting hit on his surgical scar! How rude! Okay... read...)

. Reviewers .

x) Dragon-Slayer-of-the-4th-Realm - Everybody loves the top! LoL.. Trust me; I have just as much fun writing the top as you do reading it. Nice little difference from other stories, huh? It's sort of like flashbacks, but not... Anyhoo, thanks for the great review! And you weren't late at all, LoL. I'm busy myself! Thanks and enjoy!

x) SpiritGirl of japan - Yay! Newbie reviewer! LoL... I'm so glad you like the story, and I can't wait for you to keep reading! Thanks for your review, and I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

x) ArwenEvenstar83 - I feel so loved when I see your reviews, lol. They are so inspiring. I can't wait until you review this chapter, because things get fun! Have a good time reading, and thanks for reviewing!

x) Independentskater - I have perfected the art of blending in only two parts of my life - singing and writing, lol. I take extra care when it comes to putting Angie in there with dialogue, and I'm glad it suits you! And yes, that is the purpose of the flashbacks - to see their past and relationship grow. So glad you liked it, now let's see about this one! Thanks!

x) bdrake07 - Seven is such a great number! I like 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 62, lol. But I SUCK at math. Math is not my forte. Judging by the terminology, I am a music person, lol. Chorus since 5th grade, and I'm a first year band geek senior, lol. So glad you like the story more now, and I hope you enjoy! Thanks!

x) jenny DEAREST - Another person who just can't help but love my blending skills, lol. YES! I can only blend in writing and singing (I'm not a soloist type of person - I prefer the group), but I am very careful about my placement when I add Angie into movie or book scenes I'm recreating. I'm glad I'm doing an okay job of it! And yes, the romance factor shall build; that is what I'm aiming for! Thanks for the review, and enjoy!

x) jennaalissa - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! Yes! LoL... I haven't watched that since I the night I wrote that one-shot before school... Oh well. Like I have time for myself anymore! Haha... Always happy to hear the love for the flashback storyline! Thank you so much! Enjoy the chapter! Bwaha!

x) Elwing-Evenstar - Okay, technically you are the first to say this chapter that you love my awesome blending powers, but when I return my reviews I go backwards, lol. But thank you all the same! Enjoy this chapter, too! Let me know what you think!

.. I feel totally awesome with my blending skills and flashback fill-ins, lol. Thanks, guys! ..

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Ten .  
**.. The Inn ..

_Frodo felt a large swarm of butterflies fill his stomach as they entered Buckland. One unforgettable, life changing, and devastating memory had ruined so many pleasant ones in his childhood. He held his head low thinking of the day his parents had drowned. He doubted anything could feel more horrible than the empty feeling inside of him where his parents once filled that space with all their love, care, and devotion._

_Sitting next to Frodo was Merry. He felt the tension rise in the carriage as Frodo issued a long silence with a glum expression on his face. He looked towards Pippin who then noticed Frodo's sudden change of mood. Then they turned to Angie, but she was sleeping against Pippin's shoulder, compelling them both to give a smile as they rolled up the road to Brandy Hall._

_x x x_

_"Angie? Ang..."_

_Angie's eyes flickered open as Pippin shook her awake lightly._

_"What?" she asked quietly._

_"We're here," he said with a smile. "Welcome to Brandy Hall, part of beautiful Buckland in which you will be staying all expenses paid free for one year in the company of your best friends!"_

_Angie giggled as she sat up off of his shoulder. It was just she and Pippin in the carriage now; Frodo and Merry were already inside with Esmerelda finding their rooms._

_"We're here? Already?"_

_"Well, you've slept all day, and the sun is setting now... you're things are already being taken to a room Merry's mum has picked out for you. She's got you in the room next to me and Merry, and then Frodo's is across the hallway from us. So it's a nice little arrangement."_

_"Wow, I've slept a while then, huh?" she laughed as Pippin nodded. "Well, let's go get settled in! I can't wait to see this place. Mum is probably screaming her lungs out and getting her beating stick out to hunt me down... Oh, that is so wonderful! And if she does find out all about this, I will love to see how she'll try to contain me when I go back from being with you all. Well, maybe she won't even let me back in, but that's okay. There's a whole world out there that could take me in. Doesn't bother me any."_

_"Or, she'll just whip you," Pippin pointed out as they left the carriage._

_"That, too," Angie grinned. "But I'm too fast for her. She would never be able to catch me! Besides, I'll just take up residence in the Fortress. She'd never find me there. Promise as she does to come out and bring me back inside, I could stand on the road in front of our hole and she wouldn't take one step off of that cobblestone path leading up to our door."_

_Pippin only laughed as they entered Brandy Hall. Angie suddenly gasped and stopped as she looked around._

_"This is... so... amazing," she said dreamily. _

_"Well, it's not much, but it is nice, isn't it?" Pippin asked, as Frodo and Merry appeared from around the nearby corner with smiles, glad to see that they were finally out and about._

_"Nice? It's gorgeous!" Angie said excitedly. "Frodo! Merry! This is so wonderful! I'm here! Oh, it feels so nice to do things like this behind my mother's back."_

_"Yes, well, know that we envy you in the fullest," Merry said. "Mum's got you a grand ol' room, she has. Biggest one of the three. Typical of her. Me and Pip got the smallest one."_

_"Oh, stop grumping," Angie said. "Your mother is very gifted with her hospitality. She gives the guests equal comforts, and knows it's polite to let ladies go first, be pampered, and more. You catch my drift."_

_"But you hate being treated like a lady!" Pippin said._

_"Yeah, and who ever said she was giving you equal shares in the comforts?" Merry asked. "It's like you and Frodo show up and suddenly we're sleeping on splintered floors eating week-old meals!"_

_"Well, if that's a problem, we'll leave," Frodo taunted._

_"No, no, please stay, dear Frodo," Merry said. "We have our comforts, and you have more."_

_"So if you'll excuse us, we'll just be on our way to... unload what's left of our... dignity," Pippin said quietly as he and Merry turned to go down the hallway their rooms were in. _

_Frodo and Angie smiled at each other._

_"It's not going to work, Pip!" Angie shouted, running down the hallway after them and jumping on Merry's back. He spun around with her on his back and an evil grin mustered on his face, making her very dizzy until they both toppled over in the middle of the hallway in laughter. _

_x x x_

_Angie hadn't unpacked that much when the clock chimed softly twelve times, signaling midnight's arrival. She smiled happily as she left her bag next to the wardrobe and climbed under the covers of her new replacement bed. I would take some getting used to with its newness, but she would have it broke in before a week had passed. _

_She blew out the candle on her nightstand and buried herself deep into the covers. She fell into a peaceful sleep, floating in dreams as she never did before since all was quiet and no conflicts troubled her mind of her mother. Just her friends, a new place to explore, and freedom of the life that had held her down back home._

_Outside in the hall, Pippin, Merry, and Frodo were warily easing Angie's bedroom door open so that each of them could get a good look inside._

_"Is she asleep?" Merry asked in whisper._

_"I don't care if she is or not, I'm not doing it," Frodo whispered firmly. "I don't want to, and she'll only be furious when it's all said and done."_

_"I know; isn't it great?" Merry asked, smiling in at Angie._

_"You love to push her buttons, don't you?" asked Frodo._

_"Yep!" Pippin answered._

_"Sure do!" Merry said._

_"Then you can do it. I'm not."_

_"But you have to," Pippin said, turning to him. "You cannot back out."_

_"Oh really? Watch me," Frodo said. _

_He went to walk away back into his own room, but Pippin and Merry had other plans. They each grabbed an arm of Frodo's and pulled him backwards so hard that he went stumbling through the door and slammed into Angie's bed. He slumped to the ground and rolled under the bed as she stirred._

_Merry and Pippin giggled furiously as Angie turned on her other side not facing the door now. They saw Frodo throwing them an angry glare from under the bed, but they didn't care. They only giggled more as he stood up cautiously on the other side of her bed._

_Frodo felt guilty as he watched sweet little Angie sleeping there while he knew he was going to be killed after doing this by her, even if he did shout his lungs out the Merry and Pippin made him do it. He rolled his eyes, making his decision._

_"Forgive me, Angie," he said, pulling a small bottle out of his vest. "Please hurt them for this, not me. I was the victim here, not you."_

_He took the tiny cork off of the little bottle. The liquid inside was as red as the ripe tomatoes fresh from the vine, but Frodo would have nothing to do with it. He slowly parted her lips with his index finger taking extra care not to make her stir or wake until the contents of the vial were in her mouth. It'll wake her up. Then as she coughs and sputters, Frodo could attempt a getaway back to his room into his bed, pretending he had nothing to do with this after he knocked out Merry and Pippin, left them in the hall, and put the small bottle in one of their hands. _

_Ha. Genius._

_He made a face and looked away as he placed the vial next to her mouth. With one eye open, he hesitated a moment. It had to be fast, and it had to be clean. He looked at the door, no longer able to see Merry and Pippin's silhouettes standing there sniggering. Good. That would mean he would have a clear path to dart for his room. _

_Holding his breath and closing his eyes tight, Frodo tilted the bottle quickly until he jumped from Angie's sudden jolt. She started screaming, and Frodo dropped the vial and fell to the floor, rolling under the bed again. She was sitting up now clutching her throat tightly as she coughed and choked. Frodo tried to make a break for the door, but it suddenly slammed in his face. He heard Merry and Pippin laughing now, and once he turned around, he saw Angie cast her blankets off of her as she got out of the bed._

_Oh no._

_"Merry and Pippin! I swear to-!"_

_"STOP! It's me!" Frodo shouted shielding his head from her raised hand. "But they put me up to this! I swear I had nothing to do with it! It was them! All them!"_

_Angie lowered her hand somewhat as she squinted in the dark. What that Frodo standing in front of her? He put that foul tasting stuff in her mouth? But then again, that was so out of Frodo's character; it had to be the dirty work of Merry and Pippin. _

_Why wasn't she surprised?_

_"It's all right, Frodo," she said. "It's not your fault. They put you up to this?"_

_"Yes. It was a game. I had to do what they told me to," he replied._

_"Oh really?" Angie asked, scheming. "Well, guess what, Frodo?"_

_"What?"_

_"It's our turn."_

.. x x x ..

Frodo now not only felt the eyes of Merry stabbing him with suspicion and query, but also the eyes of Pippin. They didn't know the whole story, and they couldn't. Not yet.

"I have to leave the Shire," Frodo said quietly. "Sam, Angie, and I must go to Bree to meet Gandalf. I've explained this, and that is about enough questioning for one day. I just need to get there."

Merry, though not too happy that his questions would not be answered until later, offered help to them. "Right then," he said, thinking quickly. "Bucklebury Ferry. Follow me."

With silent gratitude towards him, Frodo followed obediently as did the others. They crept out onto the road again and swiftly made their way towards the Brandywine River, but out of nowhere, one of the Black Riders split Frodo from the rest of them.

Angie screamed as Pippin grabbed her arm and pulled her with him, Merry, and Sam. Her heart pounded as the horse turned to follow Frodo who was running, terrified beyond his wits, and it scared her even more to see the fear plain as day on his face as he ran.

"Angie! Over the fence!" Pippin shouted at her. Before she was aware of what was going on, Pippin had pushed her over, but she stumbled, and Merry caught her, keeping his feet going the whole time. She regained her footing just in time to see the river in front of her. They jumped onto a small wooden platform as the screaming for Frodo persisted while Merry and Sam began untying the rope for the post, and she helped Pippin push off from the land. The shouts grew more and more, and Angie even found herself yelling.

"Jump Frodo!"

"Go faster! Jump!"

"Come on, Frodo!"

It was as if a large black cloud were billowing dangerously behind him at his heels, calling for him to slow down and let it devour him whole. Frodo didn't look back, but instead saw his friends' outstretched arms reaching for him on the platform, calling for him as well. Deep in his mind he knew the leap was too great, but he found in his legs enough strength for the flight over the watery gap and onto the platform. He mowed over Angie and Sam, amazed at himself for making it.

The Black Rider reared its ugly head in frustration and took off back down the path, two more following it. Ambushed, they were. Now they constantly had these things to worry about. But that was the least of their troubles now.

"How far to the nearest crossing?" Frodo said with choppy breath.

"Brandywine Bridge," Merry said. "Twenty miles."

x x x

Angie couldn't help but to keep looking over her shoulder every few seconds after their even closer encounter with those Black Riders. There was more than one obviously, resulting in her constant insecurity. It did not seem as though it mattered if they had left the Shire or not anymore; the Riders were lurking somewhere - anywhere - just to get their hands on the Ring. Her heart was weighing heavy with all her worry, but she hid her concerns until they could be voiced openly with Gandalf for Merry and Pippin's sake, seeing as they lacked the knowledge of their journey.

She kept racking at herself silently as they walked through a small of woods, but then ran into the back of Sam suddenly, discontinuing her inner battle as he turned around to make sure she was all right without word.

"Sorry," she said in muffled whisper as he turned back around.

She looked up as Frodo faced them, breathing hard after their short run. The tall, dark walls of Bree stood high in front of them, looming like a great dark shadow. But within them, they would find the Prancing Pony, and within it, Gandalf awaiting their prompt arrival, an arousing tale over a drink or two, and the Ring. Also the thought of a good night's rest struck them pleasantly. But until they were safely at Gandalf's side, guards would not be let down, not even for a split second.

"Come on," Frodo said, now gathering his courage to step out from the shelter of the trees.

The five of them scurried quickly up to the gate, rain soaking their cloaks and mud splashing them with every step taken. Frodo gave a loud hammering on the gate, and a small window above them opened. Then it closed, and a similar window opened at their eye level with a ghastly Big Person squinting through to get a better look at them.

"What do you want?" the gatekeeper snapped.

Swallowing, Frodo spoke loudly, clearly, and forcefully, trying to get across to the gatekeeper and his friends (and himself) that he meant to get inside not matter what. He did what he thought best, seeing as he had never really done this before.

"We're heading for the Prancing Pony," Frodo said to the eerie man.

"Hobbits? Five hobbits! What business brings yeh to Bree?" he asked, opening the gate and setting a dim lantern upon them.

"We wish to stay at the inn," Frodo said, keeping his firm tone. "Our business is our own."

"Alright young sir, I meant no offense!" the gatekeeper said, opening the gate a little wider now so that they could enter. "Tis my job to ask question after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful..."

Wholeheartedly the hobbits agreed, though in silence. They spoke not a word as their eyes scanned their new surroundings, taking in the cobblestone street, large buildings, and strangers in dark cloaks hurrying along in the pouring rain.

Frodo continued leading them in a direction he would hope to lead them somewhere near the Prancing Pony. Merry and Pippin were looking forward to having a few well-deserved drinks and rounds of song after such a tiring day. Even just the drinks would do. Sam and Angie were both astonished and curious with the place. Angie, more than Sam however, was sort of enjoying herself. It was no cooped-up hobbit hole occupied by her bombastic mother, that was for sure. Though the queerness of the place brought her spirits down some, it didn't have her mother there. Cheers for that!

The people in the streets definitely could've been more polite to the hobbits' liking, but that was least on his mind when Frodo caught sight of the old Prancing Pony sign swinging in the fierce some sheets of rain above the nearby door.

"This way," he said to the others, pointing up at the sign.

They stepped inside the warm, bustling room of the tavern. Men seemed to be the main patrons of the Pony, but if Gandalf, a wizard of some sort of high order, was to meet hobbits here, then surely the innkeeper would know. Again, never having the experience or the awkwardness upon him like this, Frodo tried to get the buffer's attention, but this time with a less hardened tone of voice.

"Excuse me?" he asked, looking up at the bar. Almost immediately, a large bristly man looked over the bar a smiled at them.

"Good evening, little masters!" he said, greeting them. "If you're looking for accommodation, we've got some nice, cozy, hobbit-sized rooms available, Mr. uh..."

Frodo paused, stopping his mouth from going against Gandalf's words: Don't let the name Baggins be mentioned. Use the name Underhill. _Underhill_. Maybe if he thought it and said it enough, it would stick.

"Underhill," he said, casually as he could. "My name's Underhill."

"Underhill," the man repeated slowly. "Yes..."

Frodo moved on, feeling the suspicions of the innkeeper as his eyes scanned the lot of them.

"We're friends of Gandalf the Grey. Can you tell him we've arrived?" he asked.

"Gandalf? Gandalf... Oh yes! I remember..." Butterbur said. "Elderly chap, big gray beard, pointy hat..."

Frodo and the others smiled. Doubt had stuck them when the man questioned Gandalf's name, but as quickly as their relief had come, it was gone with the news that he hadn't seen Gandalf in six months.

A flash of worry and concern spread unto each of their faces as Frodo turned back to Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Angie.

"What do we do now?" Sam asked.

They all looked to Frodo who only replied "I dunno" softly before turning to face Mr. Butterbur again. He looked at them expectantly.

"Give us one of your rooms for five, please," Frodo said. "Just for the night." Butterbur nodded, checking for a room. Frodo continued. "And if Gandalf would happen to arrive tonight, sir, could you have him come and see us?"

"I'll do that," he replied kindly. "Now, here's your room," - he handed Frodo a small slip of parchment with a number scribbled on it - "and enjoy your stay tonight."

"Thank you," Frodo said with a nod. "Come on," he said heavily, motioning, Sam, Angie, Merry, and Pippin along to find their room.

"But-"

"We'll be back," Angie said, pulling Pippin along next to her by the shirt, rolling her eyes. "Gandalf is sort of missing, and that's sort of bad, if you haven't caught on by now."

"I never said it wasn't important!" he retorted. "I'm just thirsty!"

"You are so ill-conceived..."

**. Please Review .**


	11. The Ranger

(A/N - I'm BACK!! For those of you who didn't visit my author's page, I took the month of October off to get some things situated. This month I'm pretty busy, too, but at least I have two long weekends I can use, one of them being this weekend. So yeah, I took October off. But I have new chapter for you! Haha... Thanks for being so patient! Here ya go!)

. Reviewers .

x) bdrake07 - Ooo, yeah! Percussion! I feel totally misplaced in marching band since I play the piano. They put me in pit but it feels weird. Oh well. What else are they gonna do with me? LoL... Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy the chapter!

x) ArwenEvenstar83 - Anyone can think up schemes, m'dear! And it's fun, too! And yes, Angie gets all that mischievous stuff from Merry nad Pippin, so blame them! LoL... Well, thank you so much for another fine review, and have fun reading the next!

x) Frodo's girl - HI!! LoL... I told you I'd be updating today! I've got ten minutes before I have to go and a few more reviews to answer, so I think I'll be okay! But anyhoo, I don't remember you reviewing for chapter nine, but seeing as you are my pen pal from way yonder, I'm sorry! You get sneak peeks and everything! I'm virtually sneding you a cookie. Right now. Take it. Good girl, lol. Thanks for reviewing! Ta!

x) jennaalissa - I will most certainly keep looking for updates on your story, and remember that if you need any help, I am a certified beta! You can ask Frodo's girl... I help her with her stories and edit and check them, and she loves me! So yep, just send it to my email address if you want and I'll be happy to help! And thank you for reviewing! You are so nice:)

x) Padme4000 - Yay! I'm so happy that you like the story! Keep reading! Whatever you do, keep reading! LoL... Thank you for showing the interest, and please read on! It only gets better and more involved! Thanks for the review, and enjoy more, like the chapter below!

.. October was fun, but I missed being here! Thanks everyone! ..

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Eleven .**  
.. The Ranger ..

_"It's... what? Excuse me?" Frodo asked, quite confused. "Our turn?"_

_"You said it was a game," Angie said, now searching the bureau for something. "And in games, you take turns. They've had their laugh, so now we get ours."_

_Frodo eyed her suspiciously and slid cautiously over to her side as she began tying a few of her dresses together with huge knots._

_"What are you doing?" he asked. "Going to hang them?"_

_"Nope."_

_"Then what are you doing?" he laughed, picking up the other end of the dress chain. He looked up at her, and she told him, "Move down that way, and you'll see."_

_He did as instructed with the other end still in hand, and once it was taut, he looked up at Angie who held the other end, smiling maliciously. Then he gave a small laugh, looking back down at the dresses._

_"Brilliant," he said. _

_x x x_

_After slamming the door in Frodo's face and leaving him at the mercy of Angie, Merry and Pippin started bursting into laughter as Angie began screaming their names. They exchanged looks and were able to contain some of their laughter until they were safely across the hall in their rooms. Merry shut the door before diving onto his bed with Pippin, and together, they congratulated each other._

_"You know, I feel a tad guilty doing that to poor Frodo," Pippin said. "What happens when he tells her it was us?"_

_"Psh... Don't worry, Pip. Just laugh! She's probably still half asleep and won't realize she's mistaken Frodo instead of us until morning. That's the best part!"_

_"But if she does find out..."_

_"We'll be dead. That's sort of inevitable."_

_They contemplated this thought, wondering whether or not it would be best to leave Frodo in there with a raging Angie until morning._

_"Well, she'd never kill us," Pippin said, "just beat us down so we can't move for a few days."_

_"Yes, but she'll have to catch us first!" Merry said._

_"Merry, please. She's the fastest thing on two legs we've ever seen," Pippin said. "Do you seriously think that'll work?"_

_"Worth a try," he said rather sourly. "And it was only a suggestion. Let's hear yours, Mr. Took. What's your ingenious suggestion?"_

_"Um... well, we could confess, or... we could hide!"_

_"Hide where?"_

_"Oh, come on, Merry! It's a big place! We could evade her until she forgets!"_

_"Which is...?"_

_"Never," Pippin said, slouching in frustration. "Oh no, Merry. Do you know what this means?"_

_"No, what?"_

_"We're never going to get out of here! We're trapped! We're going to -!"_

_"No we're not!" Merry shouted, trying to stop Pippin from going crazy. "Stop being so ridiculous!" After a few deep breaths, Pippin was calm enough for Merry to continue. "Let's just hurry and leave now before she finds out the one she's really cornered isn't one of us."_

_"Okay. Good. Excellent," Pippin said as they moved towards the door silently. "But where are we going?"_

_"Um... the hall upstairs isn't being used by anybody until the Midsummer's Eve celebration," Merry whispered. "We go there and sleep soundly and peacefully for the night, then we go outside around sunrise, come back in, and asked how Angie and Frodo's night was… asking if they're well-rested, ready for the day..."_

_"Ahh," Pippin said, nodding in understandment. "Okay. Then what? What if she pounces for us at first sight?"_

_"Again, we stick to the original plan of running."_

_Pippin rolled his eyes, but agreed._

_"Alright, alright..." he said. "But I don't know why we bother with all that when we know she's going to belt us anyways."_

_Leerily, the two irksome hobbits creaked open their bedroom door, scanning the outside hallway for any sign of Frodo or Angie. A nasty silence filled the spaces all around them. It was not reassuring. It made them feel as if they could anywhere, which definitely gave them second thoughts about leaving the room._

_"Go?" Pippin mouthed to Merry. He nodded to Pippin, and they opened the door wide, hearts pounding as if Angie were going to leap out of the room in front of them and tackle them barbarically if they didn't go soon._

_"On three, we run," Merry whispered. "Okay?"_

_"Yeah, alright," Pippin said. "On three."_

_"One, two, three!"_

_Both of went to dash up back down the hall so that they could reach the stairs, but both hobbits were delayed, or 'tripped up,' landing painfully face-first into the hard wood floor._

_"Ow! My nose!"_

_"Watch your feet, you big goon!" Merry ragged, clutching his nose as well. "Shh!"_

_"I'm sorry! It sort of hurts! I've got a huge splinter stuck in my nose!" Pippin whispered._

_"That's disgusting," Merry said. _

_"Not in it, on the outside of it!"_

_"I don't care! Come on, run! She'll be out from all that noise! Go!"_

_They clambered to their feet, scrambling to get to the stairs, but they skidded to a halt wide-eyed when they saw Angie standing in front of them swinging the end of her dress rope in a circle with a clever and knowing smile. Merry and Pippin took a step back, staring in horror, knowing they were doomed._

_"Hey, you tripped us!" Pippin said, pointing at her._

_"And you set Frodo up," Angie shot back with that smile that belittled them._

_"Oh, that?" Pippin said with a nervous laugh. "That was just... um..."_

_"Pip?"_

_"Yeah_

_"Ever get the feeling that she's too smart?" Merry asked as they continued to back away and she remained in her one spot._

_"Ay," Pippin said, nodding subconsciously. "Let's run now."_

_They turned to run down to the other end of the hall, but the immediately ran into Frodo. Their eyes doubled in size. Frodo was wearing a mimic of Angie's expression, and Merry and Pippin were backing up again. Only this time, Frodo was moving towards them unlike Angie had._

_"Left me there to take the blame and wonder why she's going to hurt you?" Frodo asked._

_"Something like that," Pippin said before Merry could properly elbow him in the stomach._

_"And now you're going to help her hurt us?" Merry asked. "You TRAITOR!"_

_"Traitor?" Frodo laughed. "You slammed the door in my face when I tried to run!"_

_"I- no, wait... that-"_

_"Pippin, shut up," Merry said. _

_"No! I didn't-"_

_Then they found that they had backed into Angie and jumped in surprise again. Pippin faced her, and Merry, Frodo; both were biting their lips._

_"Would you just hurt us already!" Pippin shouted. "This is torture! I have a splinter in my nose!"_

_"Exactly," Angie said. "Torture."_

_Pippin could've sworn he had seen a wild gleam of revenge in her eyes for a split second, and it only made him tremble more. He tried to discreetly nudge Merry to get his attention, but he didn't pay attention._

_"Do you vaguely remember telling Frodo that this was a game?" Angie asked. Pippin and Merry laughed._

_"Game?" Pippin asked. "Would something that serious be considered a game?"_

_"To you, yes," Angie said. "So, as in every game you play, everyone gets a turn."_

_"That's very true," Pippin said. "But what if we rolled doubles?"_

_"What?" Angie asked._

_"Doubles," Pippin said. "The team that rolls doubles gets another turn."_

_"I don't see how you're going to be able to," Angie said dangerously, bearing down on them more. _

_"Now what, genius?" Merry asked._

_Pippin was faltering, but then he remembered that their bedroom door was still open. _

_"GO!" he yelled to Merry._

_The two of them dived sideways for their room, and Frodo and Angie lunged forward to catch them but collided with each other instead, falling down in the middle of the floor. When Merry and Pippin had seen what they had done, their started laughing. _

_Then Merry picked up Angie's dress rope and threw one end to Pippin. Immediately, they began running around Frodo and Angie, tightly binding them together._

_"Merry! Pippin! I'll get you for this!" Angie yelled. _

_"Well, we know that," Merry said, securing the knot. "So that's why we've decided to go ahead and get a head start!" He bent down and patted her on the cheek with a victorious smile, but she tried to bite him, at which he brought his hand back quickly with a scowl._

_"Ha ha," Angie said._

_"So now you've taken up biting, have you?" Merry said. "We can fix that. Pip!"_

_Suddenly, Angie felt a piece of cloth put between the lips of her mouth. They were gagging her! How uncalled for! She vowed payment for this. Since she was face-to-face with Frodo still, her eyes widened as they did the same to him. Then, Pippin and Merry stood up, swelling with pride that it was they on the other side of the ropes now._

_"Well, that should do till someone finds you... whenever," Merry said, holding in his laughter. _

_"Ay, and by then, we'll be long gone!" Pippin said. "You'll never find us! Haha!"_

_"Toodles!"_

_Angie looked at them with great annoyance. She turned her head around the best she could as they walked down the hall snickering and laughing about what they had just done to her and Frodo. Then she looked back at Frodo who sighed. It felt weird being bound to him front-to-front. What ever happened to back-to-back?_

.. x x x ..

After settling in their rooms without any words, the five hobbits returned to the tavern in hopes of seeing Gandalf come through the door. The air was clingy and smoky and filled with raucous laughter. None of them could help but to feel out of place amongst all of these Big Folk.

"I'll go get us some drinks," Frodo said. "Take that table over there. Be sure that you can see the door clearly enough."

"I'll help you, Mr. Frodo," Sam said, following him over to the bar.

Angie looked at Merry and Pippin, and the three of them went over to the table that Frodo had indicated. She noticed that they both moved a bit closer to her as everyone eyed them, and for once, she didn't mind or bother to reprimand them. She didn't feel comfortable here at all. She sat down at the table with Merry and Pippin across from her looking half as awkward as she did.

"I really wish Gandalf would hurry," Merry said. "I want to know what's going on."

"I do, too," Pippin said as they both looked at Angie as if on cue.

"I'm sorry, you two," she said, "but Frodo, Sam, and I must not give away any information. You're lucky you know what you do. It's a delicate subject."

"What about?" Merry pleaded. "Tell us!"

"Not until Gandalf arrives and we're in private!" she said. "I can't go around telling you information about… this in the middle of a tavern."

"Of course you can!" Pippin said. "Everybody's drunk... who's gonna remember tonight in the morning?"

"I will, that's for sure," she said. "I'm not about to go overboard like the other night at the Green Dragon and then have Gandalf show up and not remember what I was doing here!"

"You see! You forget everything when you drink too much!" Pippin said. "Tell us!"

"Tell us what?" Frodo asked as he and Sam approached the table and set the drinks down.

"Need you ask?" Angie said, Frodo and Sam sitting down on either side of her. "They want to know all about what's going on."

"Well if you don't want to tell us right here, there's always the room we'll be spending the night in," Merry said.

"Sorry," Frodo said. "Just be patient. Gandalf will be here any time now."

Merry huffed, rolled his eyes, say, "Anything you say, Frodo..."

A stillness formed around them as they drank, thought, and glanced up at each other every so often. Angie felt as if she was secluded from the tavern here at the little table, like she was inside a bubble and everything outside of it was blurred and unclear, though that was not necessarily comforting to her.

"I'll be right back," Merry said, breaking the silence and shaking his ale mug a bit.

He headed towards the bar, and Angie looked back down at her own mug that she hadn't really touched yet. Frodo and Sam had tilted theirs a few times, and Pippin's was almost gone to her guess. They still sat silent, Gandalf's whereabouts running through all of their minds. Frodo assured them that he would turn up, but the words were not much of a comfort. Soon enough, Merry returned, carrying a large mug filled to the brim. Pippin gawked at it as Merry sat down, a light dancing in his eyes as he admired his tankard.

"What's that?" Pippin asked in astonishment.

"This, my friend, is a pint," Merry said, taking the first sip from it.

"It comes in pints?" Pippin asked incredulously.

"Mmhmm."

"I'm getting one," Pippin said with a quick glance up at the bar before dashing out of his seat.

Angie bit her lip to hide her smile as Sam shouted 'You've had a whole half already!' after him, but it was a lost cause. Pippin was already halfway to the bar squeezing in between all of these tall Men with not a care in the world except getting his ale.

"That fellow's done nothin' but stare at you since we arrived," she suddenly heard Sam say, bringing her back to the table. She glanced around quickly until she figured out that Sam was talking about someone watching _Frodo_, not her. She looked in the direction they were and saw a Man cloaked in black puffing at his pipe. He looked ominous and threatening in that dark corner.

"Excuse me," Frodo finally said, taking aside Mr. Butterbur who was walking by, "but that man in the corner, who is he?"

Mr. Butterbur looked half afraid to answer, but he lowered his voice and did anyway. "He's one of them rangers," he said, nodding. "Dangerous folk they are, wandering the wilds. What his right name is I've never heard, but around here, he's known as Strider."

"Strider..." Frodo quietly said as if the name would strike familiarity with him. But it did not. Mr. Butterbur continued on down the row of tables as Frodo pulled out the Ring and turned it in his hands under the table while it whispered to him. The temptation grew strong on him once again to put it on.

He closed his eyes as it repeated his name softly. He became unaware of Angie, Merry, and Sam conversing right beside him, and the musty, smoke-filled air of the tavern was distant. He heard no noise except the voice of the Ring chanting 'Baggins...'

That is, until he was pulled out of its seductive trance when Pippin loudly voiced the name 'Baggins' from clear across the room. Bad. His name had been announced to all these strangers now whom he had never met! They could all be after him for all he knew, and Pippin had just given them the key to their success!

Highly unlikely, but still!

Before Angie or Sam knew what was going on, Frodo had leapt from the bench calling out Pippin's name. They both stood up and watched the entire scene unfold; Frodo had slipped upon reaching Pippin and his group of new friends, and the Ring was taunting them all as it flew up into the air out of Frodo's hand. Angie went to move forward, but Sam held her back. Frodo reached up to catch the Ring, but it slipped onto his finger.

Angie gasped and Sam opened his mouth in fear of what had just occurred. Merry came running up behind them, stopping next to Angie and looking at where Frodo's body was moments before in utter confusion and disbelief. The three hobbits then raised their heads and stared at Pippin who held his ale mug so loosely they thought he might drop it. Pippin bore the same expression the others did. Though he and Merry knew not the seriousness of the situation, they had a feeling that what just happened was very bad judging by the looks on Sam and Angie's faces.

"Um, 'scuse me," Pippin said with a troubled smile as he hopped off of the barstool and went over to Sam, Merry, and Angie. "What'll we do?" he whispered to them once he was in a circle with them.

"Sam! Look!" Angie said, pointing over to the stairwell. They turned and saw the dark Strider figure pushing Frodo up the stairs with force.

"C'mon!" Sam said, heading for the dark corner the Ranger sat in moments earlier. "We need to get Mr. Frodo back!" He handed them each something heavy to use as a weapon and said, "Let's go!"

"But we don't know which room he's stayin' in!" Merry said as they walked swiftly towards the stairs. "Or if he's even stayin' at all! What good's that gonna do us?"

"We just keep the distance short between them and us," Angie said, running on her toes over to the stairwell.

The four of them threw their heads around the corner, looking up the stairs just as the end of the mysterious Ranger's cloak disappeared down the right hand corridor. Sam, being above them all, looked down at them and jerked his head towards the stairs. One by one they left their little totem pole and swept up the stairs in time to see the Ranger push Frodo into a room at the end of the hall.

"Come on," Sam said.

Upon reaching the outside of the door, a heavy silence fell over them. Angie, Merry, and Pippin gripped to their objects and had them raised as Sam looked back at them and nodded. And, with one swift motion, Sam burst through the door with the others. The Ranger drew his sword, but each of them was ready to fight, even if they didn't exactly look it.

"Let him go!" Sam shouted. "Or I'll have you, Longshanks!"

Angie saw the Ranger's face fall in disappointment, as if he was willing and eager for something more evil and threatening to come through the door than four hobbits. He sheathed his sword, and Angie felt a bit offended at that. Thinks a hobbit can't fight, does he?

"You have a stout heart, little hobbit," this Ranger said. "But that will not save you."

"Little?" Angie asked angrily. "Well I'll have you know that they are advantages to being little."

Strider raised an eyebrow just taking notice of her and her fiery personality. "I meant no offense, m'lady," he said. "I apologize." He kept looking at her with the same expression everyone else had given her when she was with her group of friends.

"And if I hear one word out of your mouth telling me to go back because I'm here and it's too dangerous, you will not like the consequences. Yes, I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere without him," she said, pointing at Frodo. "At least, not without a good fight."

"I would not send you back to your home," Strider said. "Not while you and your friends would go to such lengths as to save him if you thought he was in danger."

"Don't give yourself so much credit," Angie spat lowly.

"M'lady, I don't wish to quarrel with you," said Strider gently. "I am but a friend of Gandalf the Grey."

"Gandalf?" Frodo asked.

"Where is he?" Sam demanded.

"I don't know, Master hobbit," Strider replied. "But you cannot wait any longer for him. They're coming."

**. Please Review .**


	12. The Night

(A/N – Urgh. Musical's starting, and as head student director, I am still being treated like dirt by some of my fellow students (isn't that right, Ellie?). Oh well. Grad projects are starting up soon, too, and I'm getting flustered, but not too worried. I somehow always find a way to do it all, and I don't even know how I do it sometimes. I'm updating, so that's good, right? Well of course it is! Read on, peeps! Sixteen shopping days til Christmas! And if you're lucky, I'll find time to update on Christmas Eve… That would be nice.)

. Reviewers .

x) Padme4000 – I love to write quarrels, lol. I do a fair amount of it in my National Treasure story (which needs updating as much as this one did), and I'm going to get into some more heated debate in this story, so don't worry! And more lovable flashbacks are on their way! Please keep reading on, and thank you for your review!

x) Elwing-Evenstar – Thank you! I'm so glad I decided to write the story like this with the flashbacks, because they sure a re a hit with my readers, including you! Thank you again for the compliments and for reviewing the chapter, now go on and read this one! I hope you like it!

x) jennaalissa – Hahaha… we're like a triangle or something! LoL. Yes, we do love to say lovely things about our Ellie… And thank you, lol. I'm always relieved when people find me to be a good person. I hate giving off the wrong impression, but it happens sometimes, you know? Anyhoo, thank you so much for reviewing, and keep reading!

x) SpiritGirl of japan – Ah! Um… I hope that was a little quicker, lol. SATs and ACTs for college just took my life over for two weeks, and then musical auditions were last week and I had to oversee that, so blah… when do I find the time to write? I'm just glad I'm finally updating now, too! Thank you for reviewing, and enjoy the chapter below!

x) bdrake07 – Hmm… Since I like to stay on top of my game and have the next ten chapters written already (I'm up to entering the Mines right now, I believe), I can assure you more AngieFrodo soon, especially in those flashbacks. They'll get more involved as you will come to see! Thank you so much, and please have fun reading what I have for you now!

x) Frodo's girl – LoL, s'okay! I talk to you on a daily basis almost – I know how much you love my writing already. And yes, those circles are fun, lol. I love circles. Just not in Trig class… ick… Anyhoo, glad you always come back to read for me, and I can't wait until you post chapter seventeen of Krista! I will be checking my email after this, lol. Thanks for everything, and have fun re-reading!

x) Eadestre – Don't die! I'm here! LoL… And I'm so happy that I've got another person that likes my story, and Angie, too! I'm glad you have a good time reading my story, and I hope you keep coming back for more! Thank you so much for reviewing the chapter, and enjoy as much more as you like!

.. Happy December 9th, Reviewers! I took my ACTs today! Woo! LoL ..

_- Dis/Claimer - _

**. Chapter Twelve .  
**.. The Night ..

_This was bad. Merry and Pippin had tied them together, about six inches between their faces. It was awkward for sure, especially since it felt as though Angie had just remembered that she sort of liked him. He could probably see her cheeks turning red in embarrassment, but the white cloth that gagged her covered them somewhat. Plus, it was dark. What was she thinking? And it was if they had put her there to be forced to be hypnotized by his wonderful eyes. Trapped by them with no escape. _

_She then drew in a deep breath, trying to calm down. This was serious. They were bound together in a hall, unable to scream for help, unable to move, and their captors were on the loose. They must die. _

_Angie looked up in Frodo's direction since she couldn't really see much but his silhouette and some facial features highlighted by the moonlight coming from her room. She was holding her breath as she thought and thought about what to do. _

_But suddenly, she let out a gasp as Frodo lunged forward at her face. For a brief, shining moment her mind was racing with shock and her heart was pounding. But the let down wasn't so bad; she thought about how stupid she was when he started tugging the cloth around her face and started getting at the knot he had brought forth with what his restraints allowed. After a few minutes, he had successfully undone the knot, and the cloth fell from Angie's mouth. She let out a deep breath and thanked Frodo who nodded in response._

_Then she tried hard as she could to free herself from the rope. It wasn't all that difficult; thanks to Pippin's poor tying skills, her hands were right below the knot, and all she had to do was tug on it a couple of times until it was untied. _

_"Wriggle free," Angie whispered, shaking from side to side as Frodo followed suit. Once her hands were free, she tried to push the rest of the dress rope off of her as Frodo untied the cloth around his own mouth. Within a minute, both were free from the rope and immediately picked up an end each, trudging down the hall with revenge clearly in their minds._

_"Which way did they head? Did you see?" Angie asked as they came to the big open lobby of the Hall. _

_"No, it was too dark," Frodo, said. "Maybe to the kitchens?"_

_"We could try, but it's rather dark still. Do you really think they could've gotten that far?" she asked. "I mean, I don't really know for a fact that either of them are afraid to go into the darkest places of the world. We sneak out at night all the time."_

_"I don't know," Frodo said. "Perhaps we should bunker out under the stairs or something and then catch them with a trap of some sort. So they can't get away like last time, of course."_

_Angie pondered a moment with Frodo. Thoughts came and went about whether they should proceed down more dark corridors or end their hunt for an attempt at an ambush. Or even setting a trap. Neither of them could really decide. It was a big dilemma. So many different ways that all sounded too tempting._

_"I have an idea," Frodo said slowly with a smile after a few silent moments. _

_"Really?" Angie asked eagerly. "What is it?"_

_"It's... good. Very good. It's a very good idea," he said matter-of-factly. "And it's going to work like a charm."_

_x x x_

_Hours passed through the warm night air in Brandy Hall. Merry and Pippin were still running from Angie and Frodo as planned, but they were reaching their wits' end with more ideas of how to do so. They had been all over the Hall in the past six hours catching a few winks under the stairs, in closets, and in the hall of vacant rooms upstairs. The night wore on for them endlessly as they dragged themselves outside, sluggish from their lack of sleep. The sky was just starting to lighten on the other side of the Hall, and together Merry and Pippin groaned._

_"Aw, Pip, this is too much," Merry said, pulling himself up onto a low wall in the garden. "I'm exhausted."_

_"Me, too," Pippin sighed, lying down on the ground beneath Merry. "It hasn't been but one night on the lamb and we're about to kill over. You think we should just go and let her at us?"_

_"No!" Merry said. "She'd beat us to a bloody pulp! We're tired, weak, and defenseless."_

_"Maybe she's tired, too! Then we can all have a nap and then run some more!" Pippin suggested. "If we can't keep this up for one night, how are we gonna do it for the rest of our lives? I planned to sleep when we were running from her, you know!"_

_"Calm down. We'll get some sleep. How about here? She and Frodo'll never think to look outside. Plus, I bet they're scared."_

_Pippin looked up at Merry with a doubtful expression. Merry just shrugged his shoulders. "Well they could be," he said, defending himself._

_"The only way we survive is with help," Pippin said at long last. "Do you think you might have a loose cousin running around this early?"_

_"You're my cousin, Pip," Merry said, rolling his eyes._

_"Besides me!"_

_"Sorry. Not unless your sisters would magically appear by some miracle."_

_"Oh, what I'd give to see Pearl right now..."_

_They laid there in a silent zone-out as they started at the sky and into the Hall, but Merry soon heard footsteps and the distinct voices of Angie and Frodo nearing and echoing off of the center of the vast Hall. His eyes widened, and Pippin lifted his head up to look, making sure that they weren't hearing things._

_"Hide!" Merry whispered quickly as they jumped over the wall for refuge. Their voices got louder, and Merry and Pippin held their breath. They were yelling, but not for Merry and Pippin, but at one another. With curiosity, they discreetly peered up over the wall, staying as low as possible so that they could see Angie and Frodo. They had stopped right in the middle of Brandywine Hall and continued their tumult._

_"So you admit it!" Angie shouted as Merry and Pippin watched on carefully. "It was all of your idea!"_

_"So what if it was," Frodo said right back in a dangerous voice. "And do you want to know what else?"_

_"What?"_

_"I've never liked you or your strawberries!"_

_At this, Merry and Pippin openly gasped._

_"How could he say such a thing?" Pippin whispered with his mouth hanging open. _

_"That's just wrong," Merry agreed, his eyes now fixed on the two of them. Frodo and Angie's bickering persisted, however._

_"Oh really?" Angie asked. "Well maybe I never wanted you to like them or me! I never thought a hobbit like you could stoop lower than his whack uncle. I guess all the riches and popularity have gone to your head and it's been a facade."_

_"There's no way she meant that," Merry said in disbelief. Pippin shook his head slightly, too immersed in the action to half pay attention to what Merry was saying._

_"Well at least I have them," Frodo said hotly._

_"I'd rather be dirt poor than a stuck up lout like yourself!"_

_It was silent then. Merry and Pippin were now waiting eagerly to see who would win the name-calling and insult battle, but it didn't pick up right away._

_"Five carrots from Maggot's farm says Angie wins," Merry said._

_"You're on."_

_"Stuck up lout?" Frodo asked sharply and suddenly as he laughed. "Is that honestly the best a mommy's little princess of loving good nature could come up with?"_

_Angie glared angrily at Frodo, and Merry and Pippin shrunk behind the wall a little more. Bad things were about to happen... bad things..._

_The argument continued with Angie raising her hand to strike Frodo to Merry and Pippin's horror, but Frodo grabbed her hand in mid-air and twisted it round until Angie fell to her knees. The two hobbits behind the wall were frozen with the sight unfolding on front of them. What was going on? _

_"Merry, what should we do?" Pippin asked blankly._

_"Shh!"_

_Then Angie hit Frodo's shin somehow and ran towards the garden. Merry and Pippin hid behind the wall more, but popped back up when they heard Angie yelling again. Frodo had her cornered at the drop off to their right, and just before he overpowered her completely, Merry and Pippin ran out form behind the wall._

_"Stop, Frodo!"_

_"You're going to hurt her!"_

_"Don't!"_

_Merry started pulling Frodo's shoulders and Pippin went for Angie's waist, but the two of them still tried to kill each other and rip each other's heads off to Merry and Pippin's horror. But then Angie ripped away from Pippin and jumped onto Frodo, knocking Merry off of him. Pippin ran over to Merry's side as they continued to watch. Just when it looked like Angie was going over the steep side, she somehow was able to overwhelm Frodo in one swift move and knock him over the edge, herself falling to the ground._

.. x x x ..

The five hobbits who stood before the darkly cloaked Strider needn't ask who 'they' were for they themselves knew all too well from the encounters on their journey to Bree who 'they' were.

"You know of the Riders?" Merry asked Strider cautiously. "And of Gandalf?"

"Yes," Strider replied. "I've befriended Gandalf for many a-year now. We have helped one another during the rising of Sauron's powers in the East. We, along with others, are trying to stop that which now spreads and threatens the whole of Middle Earth. Not much know of how great the dangers are for their number grows with every passing day. These perils are everywhere, including behind the cloaks of the Riders that seek what you carry."

It was a moment frozen in time for the small hobbits; Angie and Sam looked over at Frodo afraid that this Man knew of the Ring from his tellings, and Merry and Pippin were still very confused from their lack of knowledge. They held their breath, but Pippin found this as the perfect opportunity to find out what they wanted to know, considering this Strider character was 'supposedly' on the good side since he was friends with Gandalf and hadn't hurt Frodo. But that didn't mean anything...

"We don't have a thing!" Pippin said sharply and suddenly. "And even if we did, we ain't givin' it to you."

"There is not much I can do to prove myself a trustworthy person to you at the time being," Strider said in a quiet voice. "I must leave that to you and your sentiment on how much trust you place in me. But as a man of his word, I mean you all no harm and wish to help you. And I will not take anything from you that you will not willingly give me yourself."

Another hollow silence played on them as the hobbits looked at Strider with wonder and caution alike. It was a trying moment of silence, too. Their minds teetered back and forth as their eyes locked with his.

"I know what you hold, and I know why you're here," Strider said lowly as he walked towards the hobbits. They felt as if they should back up, but the hobbits stayed put. "Gandalf has not come for reasons unknown to you and I both, but because of your pursuers, we cannot stay in one place too long."

"Who are you?" Sam finally asked skeptically.

"I am hear to aid you for the final time in the event that Gandalf did not arrive promptly," said Strider impatiently. "We have no time to argue over this. I'd think it better for you all to stay with me tonight here, that is unless you wish to go back to your room and wait uneasily for morning."

A lump gathered in each of the hobbits' throats, but they knew he was right. It would be at their minds all night - a question of their safety, that is. Though he felt it not so comforting at the same time as he did, Frodo spoke up.

"We will return," he said a bit overwrought and unsure, "though our trust in you is very little."

"You will not be distressed," Strider replied as he sat in a chair next to the large window. Still hesitant but not, Frodo opened the door for his friends and allowed them to go out before him. "And be warned, Mr. Underhill," the ranger said loudly, catching his attention, "though you are staying here, you best fill your beds tonight."

x x x

"Frodo, I don't what to think of this Strider," Sam confided in his friend as they walked back to the ranger's room quietly. "He looks of evil purpose, but he's a man of character and honesty to my extent. But then again, if it's a trick..."

"Uncertainty holds me back, too, Sam," Frodo said. "But he's all we got since Gandalf has not yet arrived."

"But how do we know Gandalf sent him?"

"We don't, Sam. We have to trust Gandalf, however, on his judgment. I do not think he would lead us into the hands of an enemy, if he is how he says he is."

"I wish he was here instead," Sam said a bit sourly. "If you ask me, that Strider is either a darn good spy from Mordor or he's tellin' the truth. And if he is tellin' the truth about everything concernin' us this far, then he should dress differently so no one gets the wrong ideas."

Frodo managed to smile a little at as they reproached the tall door of the room. Strider welcomed them in at the late hour, and there was a small fire dying in the fireplace.

"You may make use of my bed for the night," he said, walking towards the chair next to the window again. "I will have no need for it."

"Oh good," Pippin said, heading right over to it. "I could use a rest! Besides, this is all a bit much, so I'll figure it out in the morning." Angie huffed as Merry and Sam climbed on the bed. "What?" Pippin asked her.

"Nothing," she said, looking over at Strider. "He's just confusing to me is all."

"Well for the record, you're no open book yourself," said Pippin as he jumped up and fell onto the bed with a happy sigh. Angie protested in her mind as she shook her head a bit, but in the end, she ended up curling up in the blankets between Merry and Pippin and falling into a disturbed slumber. She tossed and turned somewhat uncomfortably at first with the whole situation, but then a again, she felt much safer with this man protecting them inside than outside with nothing but chance to go by.

x x x

Later on in the night, Frodo laid on the foot of the bed thinking curiously. Questions were plaguing him and preventing his mind from letting him sleep. And he thought it so _very_ convenient; the only night he'd probably get to stay at an inn with a nice bed until he got back to Hobbiton, and he can't sleep. Oh how he longed for the comforts of Bag End.

Then he stood up again, unable to stay still. He looked over at Strider who continued to look out the window. He missed Gandalf and wished over and over he knew what to do and where to go and who to trust without his guidance. And why he had not showed up here in the outlandish town of Bree. And-

Then, the familiar piercing shriek of the Riders surrounded them. Angie's eyes opened in realization of their presence as the others in the bed with her sat up and looked around in fear. She did not know how nearby they were, but they sounded terribly close.

"The Riders..." she whispered absentmindedly. Angie then sat up slowly and exchanged a quick glance with Pippin. She felt that she should be more afraid than he was, but Angie was rather calm compared to the fear Pippin wore on his face. But even though she wasn't wearing her terror on the outside, inside, she was screaming. Her heart quickened pace as Frodo sat on the edge of the bed now looking in Strider's direction.

"What are they?" Frodo asked.

"They were once Men. Great kings of Men," Strider said in whisper, turning his head towards the hobbits that sat frightened and rigid on his bed. "Then Sauron the Deceiver gave to them nine Rings of Power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question. One by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgûl, Ringwraiths; neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring. Drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you."

The comment was in no way meant to comfort the hobbits, and it didn't. Angie's throat tightened after she swallowed, and she looked over at Frodo who now mimicked Strider in staring intently out the window, only he looked more troubled than the ranger.

"We must leave as soon as the sun's light pales the sky," Strider said, finally moving from his chair and moving towards the door. "You are to stay here until I return in a few hours. I'll be preparing for our journey out. Get some rest, especially you, Mr. Underhill. You haven't slept at all."

With that, he left. The hobbits all looked around at each other, Frodo uncomfortable whenever he was called Mr. Underhill by Strider because they both knew it was a false title. Pippin, however, threw himself back into the comforts of the oversized pillow in the bed with a deep sigh. Sam shot him a look.

"Well he said to get some rest!" Pippin retorted. "He makes it sound like we'll be killing ourselves on this little venture tomorrow, so I'm catching a few, if you don't mind."

He threw the covers back over his head, and Sam sighed quietly as he now watched Frodo move behind the chair Strider had occupied for so long. Angie slid off of the bed with a similar look at him, walking up slowly behind him. She saw him grip the back of the chair loosely then let go as he started out towards the origin of the screeching Riders.

"You should really get some sleep, Frodo," Angie said. "Strider's right."

"I can't," he replied. "I am weary, but I am also worried. I hope I am right about Strider, and I have a feeling that I am, but Gandalf is still troubling me."

"He would be here if he could," she said. "You know how he is sometimes delayed."

"I would not think so for something this important."

**. Please Review .**


	13. The Wild

(A/N - Hey! How was everyone's holiday? I got a green ipod nano, but I REALLY wanted a piano. I sort of need one if I plan on going into music education... By the way, do any of you have a Lord of the Rings piano book or sheet music for piano out there? If you do, would you possibly be able to scan it and send it to me? I don't have the money to by a new book right now, so I figured I'd ask around. If you do, send me scans at askerica07(at)yahoo(dot)com. I have to use that address because I access it at school where there's an actual working printer with ink, lol. I'm fresh out as of now. Anyhoo, here's chapter thirteen! Enjoy!)

. Reviewers .

x) jennaalissa - Ooo, just woke up! I feel so loved, lol. It's okay that you don't have much to say - I understand those morning wake-ups can be difficult (as I'm sure a lot of people could). I am glad that you reviewed again, however, which means you must've liked it! and I'm so happy you did! Hope this one is just as good! Thank you, and enjoy!

x) Frodo's girl - You know what? Maybe when this whole thing is over, I'll just write a story based on the flashbacks since everyone likes them so much, lol. Sorry it took forever to update - musical's been driving me crazy, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love every second of it! Stayin after school til six isn't bad... it'll get MUCH worse. You just wait til we get in-house meals and bring pillows and blankets til eleven and twleve at night! Anyhoo, I'll be sending back your edits on 20 hopefully tonight (I don't have rehearsals, but I do have a voice recital at seven), so look for them tomorrow sometime! Thanks for reviewing again, and have fun rereading! LoL

x) Padme4000 - Aww, thank you! If you want, we can look up other 'great' synonyms on thesaurus(dot)com! I love that sight! I have it on my Favorite's List on my computer, lol. It is such a great asset when I write, especially this story when I want to use slang terminology and stuff. It's saved me from using 'stupid' and 'weird' and that. Hobbits may say those things, but not everyday! Well, thank you kindly for another review, and I hope you have just as much enjoyment with thirteen! Thanks again!

x) Eadestre - Hmm... Frodo getting mad at Angie? Well, that will be answered in the chapter below, ma dear! Please keep reading! I know you'll absolutely be more in love as you continue on! Thanks for reviewing, and enjoy the next chapter! Hope to hear from you more!

x) ArwenEvenstar83 - Yes, they were supposed to get Merry and Pippin... or DID they? LoL... just keep reading. You'll see what I mean! Thank you for reviewing again! I don't care how short it is, it just shows that you care! Thanks, and enjoy!

x) Jack.Sparrow.1245 - Thank you so much for all the nice compliments! I'm glad I've got you hooked, LoL, now keep reading! I saw some other reviews yuo have left me and must thank you for those as well! I hope you've become one of my readers. That'd be great! Have fun continuing with the story, and thank you for reviewing! Hope you keep coming back for more!

.. Sometimes the only good things in life are the things that taste good ..

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Thirteen .  
**.. The Wild ..

_"ANGIE!" Pippin cried as he and Merry leapt up and ran over to her. _

_"What have you done!"_

_"He's done all that nasty stuff to me! He deserved it," Angie said, getting up. She shook as they all looked down into the dark steep side of the hill littered with leaves and underbrush._

_"Frodo never did any of that!" Pippin said. "It was me and Merry who coaxed him to do it!"_

_"Oh no..." Angie said, looking back down into the ravine now. "I... I didn't mean to..."_

_"Well it's too late now!" Merry said hysterically. "You've-! How could you! FRODO!"_

_"What?"_

_They looked down at the other end of the miniature cliff and saw Frodo coming up out of it as he pulled leaves and twigs out of his hair and dusted off his shirtsleeves. Merry and Pippin stood there a minute in confusion. Frodo, dizzy as he was, smiled a bit at them all. Angie stopped biting her lip and smiled openly with a laugh. Still, Merry and Pippin were lost. _

_"Oh!" Pippin said after long last. "I think I know what they did, Merry!"_

_"You think?" Merry asked nervously as Frodo and Angie began to close in on them._

_x x x _

_Dear Samwise,_

_How are you? I'm well, though I wasn't much earlier... It is only my second night here in Brandy Hall and already things have gotten to be interesting! On our first night here, just the night before, Pippin and Merry tried to turn Frodo against me, and we ended up having a fun old night. Frodo and I were tied up in the hallway, escaped, and then we put on a little show for Merry and Pippin. I pretended to get into a heated argument with Frodo and push him over this little ledge out in the gardens. It was so funny when they finally figured it out! But it was also too late, for guess who we tied up and left behind some bushes til after luncheon? One of the other Brandybucks found them, and then Merry's mother had a chat with us, though we all still glared at each other mischievously from behind our cups of tea at the table._

_But all is quiet and well now. I've just finished reading my book earlier and decided to send my thoughts to you. We all wish you could be here. Maybe your Gaffer will let you come out for a few days soon? It will be about a year til our return, but I will write you with every spare moment I can get that Merry and Pippin don't plot against me. I've resorted to putting a sitting chair behind the door at night now, just in case they try another trick like last night. I haven't had any strawberries from here yet, but when I think about it I haven't really seen any. By the way, do you think that you could water my strawberry patch for me while I'm away? You can help yourself to the biggest ones in return. And then some._

_Well I must go now. The night is getting darker, and I think I'm the only one in this hallway with their lamp still lit. I hope to hear word from you soon. _

_Angie_

_PS - Tell Bilbo I said hello and please do not let this into the hands of my mother. I would be hunted down and beaten._

_x_

_Sam smiled as he folded the letter back up and slipped it into his top bureau drawer. He received it that morning and re-read it upon returning from dinner. He could only imagine what poor Angie and Frodo were experiencing. He'd wish they had known what they had gotten themselves into, but apparently not. Unless they decided to runaway, they would be there a whole year. Sam went over to his desk that was covered in the late evening sunlight and decided to return the letter immediately. It had taken it two weeks to arrive, so he was curious to know what was happening after the first two nights._

_x_

_Dear Angie,_

_I'm fine, thank you. Your tale sounds quite engaging with all the pretending and tricks involved. Had I been there, I would have untied you and then thrown Merry and Pippin off the ledge instead. They deserve it, trick or no trick. Sorry I sound so harsh, but sometimes there's nothing else that will get through to them, is there? _

_I'd be happy to water your strawberries for you, too. And if I do have some, I promise that I won't eat a whole plant at a time. I stopped by and saw them just the other day, and they look nice. Your mum didn't catch sight of me, thank goodness, so I'll be doing most of the waterin' in secret. Mr. Bilbo's gardens are looking beautiful all the same as well, and he does say hello and says to have fun while your there. He's also been keeping me company in your absence. And I'm sounding a lot more better when I write thanks to him. This letter's sort like a test, you see. Just to see how well I can do this. Let me know if you think I've done a worthy job._

_If you have any more trouble from those rascals Merry and Pippin, you let me know and I'll have a talk with the Gaffer so I can come out there and teach them proper. Sometimes they go a bit too far if you ask me, and I have a feeling that's not the worst they can do._

_I'll leave you here. Please send me more news from Buckland - I want to be kept informed of all the doings up there. Goodbye._

_Samwise _

_PS - Don't you worry, Miss Angie. Your letters are safe in my keeping. Write back soon._

_x x x_

_It had been nearly a month since Frodo had stepped foot inside Brandy Hall again. Merry and Pippin were still up to scheming, but he and Angie would occasionally come up with something to set them right. Things were becoming quiet for the middle of a warm summer night just after supper. Frodo sighed, looking about the Hall for somewhere to go. The gardens held no appeal as of now, his room was getting less exciting, and he didn't have the urge to visit the small library to find another book to read. _

_A book._

_He still hadn't returned Angie's book to her, so why not do that while he had the time? He walked up their hallway quietly as he passed a few other hobbits and ducked into his room momentarily to get her book. Then he strode across the hall to her door and knocked firmly but politely. He waited patiently, and Angie's voice came: "Who is it?"_

_"It's Frodo," he replied._

_"Oh, come in," she responded. Frodo opened the door and looked inside; Angie was sitting amongst the blankets on her bed reading a piece of parchment which she looked up from as soon as Frodo saw her._

_"Hullo, Frodo. What can I do for you?" she asked, glancing back down at the paper once again._

_"I've come to return your book," he said, bringing it up from his side to show her after he reached her bedside. "I've been finished with it for a few days now and haven't given it back to you yet, so I figured I ought to."_

_"Well, thank you," she said. "You can set it there on the desk." She looked up from the letter, indicated the desk next to the door, and returned to the paper again. Frodo sat the book down and slowly approached Angie. He was curious of what she read._

_"What's that?" he asked, standing behind her to see somewhat._

_"Oh, letter from Sam," she said, scooting over. Frodo sat down next to her beginning to read the letter. "He sends love and offers service to pummel Merry and Pippin if we need him," she laughed. Frodo smiled and huffed out a short laugh._

_"Sounds like Bilbo is fine, too. I think I will write him tomorrow night. I feel bad that I haven't yet."_

_"Has he written you?" _

_"No, but I trust he's just waiting for the day one of my letters arrives," Frodo said with a fond smile still on the letter. "Oh, and Sam has been given the privilege to water your strawberries and eat them, huh?"_

_"Yes," Angie said. "It's the only way I could think to repay him from a distance."_

_"Well tell him in your next letter to send some out to us!" Frodo said, looking at her. "Just for us, though; Merry and Pippin can never know."_

_"My thoughts exactly," Angie giggled, setting the letter in her lap. "Alright. Next letter shall be a plea for strawberries."_

_"Great," he said, standing up slowly._

_"Leaving?" she asked._

_"Yes."_

_"Well, I was going to make a quick run to the library," Angie said. "Did you want to come? I would think you might considering you finished my book and all."_

_Suddenly, Frodo's thoughts about the library changed. A trip to the library sounded good now that he had company to go with._

_"Okay," he said, watching Angie place Sam's letter on her nightside table. "Just a short one though, alright? I'm feeling a bit tired."_

.. x x x ..

Leaving Bree was not as secret as Strider would have liked. The hobbits didn't look too thrilled about leaving in daylight either. It made them feel very vulnerable and visible to anyone - or anything. The Riders still lingered in the back of their minds as they headed towards the hills in Strider's lead with the company of a new pony named Bill. Sam took a quick liking to him as predicted, and he even talked to him in moments of silence as they traveled.

The air was cold and held even more of a chill when the wind decided to gust on occasion as they followed Strider to an unknown haven of safety away from the village of Bree. If the Riders were there, anywhere seemed like a safe place, even out in the open wilderness. The altitude rose as they approached the hills, and their curiosity rose as well.

"Where are you taking us?" Frodo finally asked of Strider.

"Into the wild," he simply replied.

"Well that answered the question perfectly," Angie muttered to Sam whom she was walking beside. Sam's expression became thoughtful a moment, but then it went back to being indifferent.

"How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?" they overheard Merry saying to Frodo.

"I think a servant of the Enemy would look fairer and feel fouler," Frodo replied.

"He's foul enough!" Merry argued.

"We have no choice but to trust him," Frodo said with a heavy pull on his insides. He felt it was the right thing to do since he had protected them and taken them in, but how was he to know Strider was not doing this for his own benefit?

"But where is he leading us?" Sam blurted out from behind them.

"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee," Strider said, bringing a smile to the face of Samwise. "To the House of Elrond."

"Did you hear that?" he asked, turning to Angie with a large grin of excitement. "Rivendell! We're going to see the elves!"

Angie could only smile herself and laugh with him. Sam's lifelong dream was to meet an elf and learn all about them. It seemed so hard compared to the ambitions the other hobbits of the Shire had, but it was so simple compared to Angie's wish of living a life of happiness not in vain of itself.

"Yes," Strider said from the head of their group. "But to arrive we must remain unseen. Keep close to one another and stay quiet. We will rest for the night when the land pans out."

"Oh, pots and pans," Sam moaned. "Doesn't a nice warm bowl of soup sound appetizin' right about now?"

"Sam," Angie whispered to stop the vision he was setting upon them. He lowered his head as they continued walking.

It indeed sounded wonderful as the air came to hold more chill out in this land. They had a good amount of food back at the inn, but Angie did not recall any soup. Oh but now, now to feel that warm liquid run down into their stomachs was so desirable by them all as their hands began to chap and their hair became windswept from the breeze.

Pippin sighed from beside Angie, catching her attention. "Just to feel the warmth of that cup of soup would do wonders right now," he said longingly.

"Pippin, please," Angie whined. "Not now. We don't get to eat til nightfall, and that's still a long ways off just for a little bite."

"But it sounds so good," he pouted. "Nice, warm, red tomato soup with some pepper-"

"Pip-"

"And a mug of ale alongside it-"

"Honestly!" Merry said, turning around after finally hearing enough of the talk. "Is that all you think about? Food and drink?"

Pippin looked slightly taken aback but replied without hesitation. "I am a hobbit, am I not?" Merry grunted and turned around.

"Just stop it, Pippin," he said lowly.

"Hey! Aren't you a hobbit, too?" Pippin asked, running after him.

"Drop it..."

"Hobbits are hungry by nature!"

"Stop-"

"And you are just as bad as me!"

Merry turned around again with angry eyes darting right into Pippin who began to step backwards when Strider's attention was brought to the arguing.

"Enough," he said as they separated reluctantly. "Hunger is something you will have to learn to live with until we reach Rivendell. There, I'm sure you will be well accommodated. Now let's keep moving and stay quiet."

Strider continued on, and the hobbits looked at one another before following him, saddened that they would not receive any of the soup that had sounded so real and delightful. But then suddenly, as they crested the top of the hill, Pippin's stomach grumbled loud and low.

"Pippin!" Merry shouted in frustration.

"I can't help it!"

x x x

The next day was not all that exciting either. The hobbits were very hungry despite the little food they had eaten the previous night. It is very hard to function on such rations when you're a hobbit who does nothing but eat every hour or two. But anyways, they had to keep moving on little breakfast and water that morning. Still tired and groggy, the five of them were led on by Strider towards Rivendell in the snow-covered hills. The hopes of meeting Gandalf there (and getting a decent hobbit-sized meal) seemed to be the only things keeping their feet moving absentmindedly through the rough wilderness.

Two hours or so after beginning their trek for the day, Pippin's stomach was rumbling again loudly, and Sam's had joined in guiltily. Merry looked at the sun's position in the pale sky.

"Pull over, Sam," he said, grabbing onto the rope around Bill's neck to stop him. "Let's have a bite, hmm?"

Sam and Pippin immediately helped in removing the cooking ware from Bill's load.

"Angie, Frodo," Pippin called, "give us a hand."

Frodo and Angie went over to help seeing that it was indeed time for second breakfast, and they hadn't been this glad in a while for it. They were about to pick up a few scattered twigs for a small fire when Strider's voice came over them.

"Gentlemen," - Angie's face narrowed - "and m'lady," he said, correcting himself for her, "we do not stop til nightfall. We discussed this already."

"What about breakfast?" Pippin asked, stepping forward.

Strider bent his brow. "We've already had it."

"We've had one, yes," Pippin said as Merry walked up beside him. "But what about second breakfast?"

Strider didn't even care to know what second breakfast was, so he kept on walking. He was obviously misinformed on how hungry hobbits could be. Pippin, however, stood there looking somewhat offended as he walked away.

"I don't think he knows about second breakfast Pip," Merry said to his friend who continued to stare blankly out into space. Suddenly, Pippin was snapped out of his trance and became alarmed.

"What about elevenses?" he said, following after Merry. "Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?"

Merry stopped. "I wouldn't count it."

Just then, a small red apple came from over the bushes, and Merry caught it. He smiled, handed it to Pippin while patting his shoulder, and walked on. Pippin looked down at the fruit until another apple struck his head. He looked up in confusion, swearing for a brief second that apples were actually falling from the sky. Merry looked back impatiently.

"Pippin!"

A smile crossed Angie's face, and she laughed a bit. As they passed these apples, Pippin started gathering them all up in his shirt and dumping them in an empty sack on Bill's load. The poor animal whinnied, and Sam, Frodo, and Angie became aware of it.

"Here now, what are you doin'?" Sam asked, stopping a moment.

"Savin' 'em for a pie," Pippin answered honestly. "Once we get to Rivendell, you can bake us a nice one, Angie."

Angie looked at Pippin with all the love in her heart and began to smile genuinely at him until her whole face was filled with laughter. Her cheeks weren't just red from the cold, and she knew it. Pippin smiled back before looking back down at the ground and walking on. As he came up beside her with his hands folded neatly behind his back, Angie smiled and bit her lip expecting something. And something came; Pippin knocked her right over into the bushes and continues walking as if nothing happened.

It attracted the attention of the other three hobbits. Merry started to laugh. Frodo knelt to help Angie as Sam glared dangerously at Pippin.

"Are you alright?" Frodo asked her.

"Just fine," Angie answered as she got up with revenge burning in her eyes towards Pippin's back. Frodo let her slip away from him as she marched up right behind Pippin and practically picked him up and threw him into a tangled mess of a bush. She laughed as Merry's mouth fell open and she passed him by. He looked from her to the bush to Frodo and Sam who were smiling some as they also passed him up.

"Serves you right," Sam said to the moaning form of Pippin lying in the bush as he led Bill along the rough land behind Strider, Angie, and Frodo. As he turned around, Merry started mimicking him with an overdone twisted face and motor mouth. He then helped Pippin leap to his feet and pick a few twigs from his hair.

"You'd think we'd learn not to mess with her," Pippin said, watching her get farther away.

"It's not messing with her, it's how to get away once we mess with her," Merry corrected him. Pippin nodded at this thinking and the pair of them brought up the end of the group as they continued towards marshy grounds.

**. Please Review .**


	14. The Marshes

(A/N - Oh, wow. For the next month, please don't expect much from me, lol. I will be putting in many hours at school for the musical, and Mr. Molinaro has told me to make my death wish now and bring some pillows and blankets because I will be sitting in the auditorium for about seven hours after school everynight from now until the show's over. All I can say is thank god for ramen noodle instant lunches! Here's another chapter for you all! I'm far behind on writing this, and I keep taking chapters from my archive and not putting another in. I'm two behind now! But at least you're happy that I'm updating!)

. Reviews .

x) Jack.Sparrow.1245 - Hmm... Frodo getting stabbed is not just yet, lol. I've got a few in between scenes before that, mainly because I wrote this story to focus on the hobbits, and I don't want it all to constantly revolve around the War and the Ring. Frodo won't get stabbed until Chapter 16, but at least you know it happens and it's coming! Right now, I have written up to after the troll attack in Moria, and that's Chapter 23, so I'm doing good. I don't want the story to exceed 50 chapters if possible, but I know it will, lol. If I ever get time!! Thank you for reviewing, and enjoy the chapter!

x) jennyplz. - Thank you so much! I was thinking about, if I ever get done with this, writing a little story based just on the flashbacks and thier childhood since everyone loves them so much and I love to write them just as much. The response for them is amazingly better than I had hoped for! And I need to brush up on my writing some, but for the most part I'm trying to use good vocabulary and grammar that is Middle Earth appropriate. I'm glad you think I'm doing a justifiable job! Thank you again, and plase enjoy the story some more!

x) Flag - In a manner of speaking it does; the invisibility part has to do with emotional wounds that are very hard to heal, so that's what it mainly was geared toward. I understand that you don't feel like continuing, but if you ever get intrigued to read again, I'm here! THank you for reviewing all the same, and I do hope you'll came back to read someday!

x) bdrake07 - Haha... Angie doens't let them push her around! Merry and Pippin are like her brothers, so you could classify that last bit as some sibling rivalry, lol. There is plenty more of that to come, so do not worry! Hehe.. Thank you for reviewing, and have a great time reading on!

x) Frodo's girl - Le grr! I'm NEVER going to find time to write more of 24 this month, but that's why Mr. M gave us Sunday mornings off before we have to go in 1-4 starting the 11th. But OMG! I'm having so much fun helping out with your story! It's insane crazy! lol. I can't wait for youe 22 to go up! And I'm even more glad you're still writing! I'll keep helping, so don't ever be afraid, embarassed, ashamed, ect. to ask. Think of me as your personal Sam, lol. Thanks for reviewing, and I'll talk to you soon! Enjoy the chapter (again, lol)!

x) Elwing-Evenstar - Handling these relationships is as challenging (and fun) as handling my own, lol. It's a lot of fun to create it from scratch, but I have to be careful of what happened to whom and who this person really is, and that's why it gets tricky when trying to tie the flashbacks into the current story. It's totally freakin' sweet when it all woirks out, though! I hope this one did good! Thank you for the review, and I'll see you in the next chapter! Enjoy!

x) Kenny - Sorry I took down Dinner and a Dead Man's chest, but it's only until I write part two. I want to post the whole thing at one time, because I think it'll have a better effect if I do it that way. I'm working on it as a pet project at the moment, and one of these days when I have a life again, I'll write more. Or I'll just pull an all nighter one night and do some. But it will return! And thanks for reviewing this chapter! Enjoy this one, too!

x) Alissa - Hey! What's the name of your school play? That's awesome! Let me know what role you get and stuff, because I'm a huge stage lover, lol. Obviously, otherwise I probably wouldn't be the Head Student Stage Manager for the musical this year! Anyhoo, thank you for reviewing! Always nice to hear from you! Enjoy the chapter!

.:: And they never saw Frodo again, lol ::.

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Fourteen .  
.. The Marshes ..**

_Dearest Bilbo,_

_I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write, but I hear word that all is well in Hobbiton all the same. Angie and Sam have been writing to each other, and so I thought I might want to let you know how I am fairing thus far out here in Buckland. It has been about a month now since we arrived here. Merry and Pippin have been causing a lot of trouble as usual, but that is just what they do I suppose, especially in the house of their own family. Brandy Hall is still large and busy as I remember from being here before. Everyone has catered to us kindly, and I have remembered my manners; don't worry. _

_I know that you are worried about me. You don't think I should be back here so soon, do you? I'm not sure that I should have come. I have Angie, Merry, and Pippin to be with, but when I'm trying to fall asleep at night, I have dreams, Uncle; frightful ones that I don't wish to recall. I may have made a mistake in returning now. I might need to come back to Bag End and probably should, but I will inform you if I desperately need to. I think I should be fine, though. Angie has talked to me a lot, so most of my time is occupied during the day. I forget about my troubles when we spend time together. It's a nice comfort._

_Her birthday is soon. Merry and Pippin have already talked to Merry's mum about throwing her a party. It is here in three weeks - late July sometime, I believe. I don't know if they should. No one really knows Angie from around here. She keeps her distance from the others here in the Hall, but she is very polite and speaks when spoken to. Maybe they didn't mean a large celebration. Maybe they meant just a small one for her close friends? I'm not sure. To assume anything on Merry or Pippin's actions is foolish. I've learned that. But the party does sound questionable here in Buckland. If it were in Hobbiton, I know we could give her a nice day to remember. She deserves one for those delicious strawberries of hers._

_Which reminds me! If Angie hasn't told Sam, you can tell him to send us a basket of strawberries from her garden. She is supposed to tell him, but you can remind him in case she forgot to note this to him in her next letter. We found a small plant outside in the gardens growing alongside a wall here, but the berries were small and bitter. I remember there being a few plants around here, but I wonder what has happened to them? You may want to send that basket as fast as possible. Merry and Pippin are about to resort to desperate measures if they don't have some soon. Angie just laughs at them, and I do, too. _

_The library here has grown some. Angie and I visited it last night. She was returning a book she had borrowed, and we each took another for the time being. We share a love of books, and that is nice. There aren't too many hobbits in the Shire that are well read, and it's enjoyable to share interests with someone who is. Or at least somewhat is. The library has gotten a whole new shelf of books, and we went there first. There aren't many, but they were fascinating._

_The rooms are still cozy here. The pillows are big and the beds are warm. They will do until I get back to my own bed in Bag End, which I miss. It's easy to sleep in these beds, make no mistake; but still I have a little trouble finding the right spot each night. Merry's mum has been keeping tabs on our comfort, and I feel somewhat spoiled. I know you would say that I already am, and I think I'm beginning to agree. It's all right, Bilbo. I won't come back any different than when I left. You'll still have me._

_I do miss you very much. Brandy Hall may be a nice stay place, but I cannot wait to walk up to your big green door again next spring. Maybe you and Sam could come visit us on our birthday or Mid-year's Day. I know Sam is eager to come and see us. If you do decide to come, please try to talk the Gaffer into letting him come with you. I miss his company, too, along with Angie. But we must keep him away from Merry and Pippin in case they decide to go off on him again. They have a nasty little habit of cornering Sam sometimes._

_Well, it is getting later now. I hope that my long letter makes up for not writing to you in a month since I left you. Please remind Sam of the strawberries and come visit one day. There are plenty of wonderful rooms to choose from still, and we all miss your stories even after a hundred telling. They never get less exciting. I don't think it's possible for any story of yours to bore anyone! I suppose that's what adventures do to hobbits... Pray I never go on one, even though I pretend I'm off on one everyday. If I follow in your footsteps, Uncle, I promise to be as reckless but just as successful. Again, I won't let you down._

_Miss you, hope to see you soon, and take good care!_

_Frodo_

_x_

_BUMP _

_THUD_

_Frodo looked up from his letter to Bilbo and over at his bedroom door. The walls were beginning to shake slightly, and the candle flames were flickering madly, and there was screaming and laughter coming from outside in the hallway. He sighed despairingly at the voices loudly disturbing the once quiet atmosphere around him, half hoping they would not enter his room right now. He looked back down at his letter to make sure he felt that it was complete, but he had only reread the first two lines when his door suddenly slammed loudly off of the wall. _

_Frodo jumped in his chair with a sharp gasp of surprise and turned to the door just in time to see Pippin and Merry running into the room as fast as he had ever seen them run. His eyes filled with fear as the gap closed between them and him, and they weren't slowing down._

_Frodo suddenly feared not only for himself, but his nice clean letter addressed to his uncle._

_"No! Stop!" he said quickly, shoving his hands out in front of him. He shut his eyes and hoped for the best, but they came crashing into him (but not without attempting to avoid the disaster themselves, mind you). Frodo fell flat on his back with the chair under him and his cousins on top of him in a jumble. He felt dizzy._

_Before he told them to get off of him, they were already scrambling up to hide on the other side of his bed as Angie came flying into the room with a profound rage in her eyes that startled Frodo and scared the bejesus out of Merry and Pippin, forcing them both to cower on the floor and cover their heads with two high squeals. _

_He looked over at Angie who glanced at him as to acknowledge him. She just looked instinctively over the other side of the bed and jumped on top of it with a huge leap. She stared down her foes until they screamed again and made an escape out by sliding under Frodo's bed and out the other side to run for the door. Merry made it out barely, but Pippin was not so fortunate. _

_Angie grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back to the bed with a forceful tug. After this, she took Frodo's bed sheet and took a good minute and a half tying him securely to the bedpost at the foot of his bed. Following this act of unruly behavior, the girl paid no attention to his babbles and pleas to release him, but he stuffed the corner of Frodo's blanket in his mouth to prevent him from shouting and protesting any longer. Satisfied with herself, she smiled at him, tapped his cheek, and turned to Frodo._

_"Sorry, but I'll explain later," she said. "I'll come back for him as soon as I get Merry."_

_Pippin reacted wildly at this, looking to Frodo for help. He did not indicate anything to him as he turned back to Angie._

_"Ten minutes at most," Frodo said. "I'm going to bed as soon I address this letter."_

_"Deal," Angie said. "I'll be back in ten minutes then." She looked over at Pippin who recoiled the moment she patted his shoulder with a pleased smile. "Be good now, or Frodo will have to resort to violence."_

_Pippin looked over at him with fear. He had not soon forgotten his punishments for messing with them._

_"Is that permission?" Frodo asked Angie with an amused smile._

_"It sure is," she replied. "I'll be back."_

_At this, she left the room in search of her other victim. Frodo looked over at Pippin smiling, and then he looked back down on him letter and his expression changed drastically._

_A large, wet, black blotch of ink covered the majority of his neatly written letter to his uncle. His mouth fell open to see the inkwell dripping onto it, and he felt so powerless that he just sat and watched it drip onto his hard work for the past hour before looking over at Pippin with shock still having a tight hold of him. Pippin was afraid of the way his cousin looked at him, and he had reason to be._

_"Know that you'll be lucky to be alive to see Angie reenter this room if I don't loose my head before then," Frodo said dangerously. _

. x x x .

Life had been miserable that passing day in the marshlands. Nasty little gnats had plagued them all day in swarms of clouds, and each of them had had their turns in falling and slipping deeper into the soggy earth and disgusting water except for Pippin; he had received a full face of the foul-smelling stagnant water. They had all felt pity for him and themselves. Hobbits were not accustomed to long walks through bogs of bile waste with grumbling stomachs. It was nothing like any of them had experienced before. Angie remembered liking the bottom of the river in the Shire better than this grotesque place.

But as the day wore on, hunger and exhaustion began to wear on them almost as bad as being stuck in the marshes. Merry was trying hard to keep his mouth shut as Pippin began talking of breakfast back in Brandy Hall while Sam and Angie kept themselves composed after Frodo had told them not to pay any attention to him and just to keep walking. Angie frowned miserably as they marched on. It was getting darker and cooler, and now the gnats were starting to dissipate, but they were still - walking. And it was getting old.

She thought she might have found enough energy to jump for joy when Strider had told them that they were to stop and rest now on a not-so-soggy piece of land, but instead, she mustered a small smile and let herself drop to the ground soundly. Merry laughed, mimicking her method of sitting down and took a seat next to her. Angie smiled over at him.

"Tired?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," he said at her understatement. "And I think I will be for a while. Boy, do I miss my bed..."

"Likewise," Sam said from behind them. Angie and Merry looked up, and Sam sighed and dropped his pack. "I just can't get used to this hard awful ground after years of a nice soft mattress and feather pillow."

"Well you'll have to make do for now, I'm afraid," Merry said. "No comfy spots anywhere around here."

"Soft the land may be," Angie said, "but if it's a big sponge of that terrible water, it's not very comforting to anybody's thoughts, let alone their backs."

"No indeed," Sam muttered.

"Doesn't bother me!" Pippin ran up and slid in on Angie's other side, leaving a long muddy trail behind him. Merry and Sam pinched their faces together, but Angie managed another smile.

"There's nowhere to wash those pants," she told him. "Unless to want to try your luck with that rancid stuff." She nodded over her shoulder, but Pippin waved her off.

"I'm good, Ang, trust me," he said confidently.

"Sure?" she asked, her smile growing as he leaned forward to see him.

"Positive," he acknowledged.

Just then, Strider walked up to them as tall as her could possibly be, and the four hobbits shrank a little under him, but they listened to what he was to say.

"I am going to try to find us something to eat," he told them as Frodo walked up beside Sam, attracted to the ranger's voice. "The area is known for some wandering beasts. Have a fire going for when I return, but stay close. I know there may not be many dry sticks, but do your best."

All five hobbits nodded at his instructions with Angie and her two mischievous friends rising from the ground. Angie dusted off her backside as Pippin looked at his pants in disgust. Merry laughed as they all wandered off around the bushes to find a supply of twigs for the night.

Angie went off by herself with Pippin trying to make it obvious that he was secretly following her. Angie rolled her eyes and laughed as she listened to him leap dramatically from bush to bush, rustle through the leaves, and yelp openly when he stubbed his foot on a rock (all while still pretending to be invisible from her sight). Finally, Angie stopped and turned around as he hid behind another bush, staring at her with big eyes of mock fear. She suppressed another giggle, so glad Pippin had not lost his sense of humor yet.

"Get up here," she said. Willingly, Pippin hopped, skipped, and jumped to her side, and she smiled as she leaned over to pick some dead twigs from a bush. "You have too much fun, you know that?" she asked.

"Never!" Pippin said as he mimicked her actions. "There is no such thing as too much fun!"

"Yeah, and that's what you told me when Farmer Maggot's dog had us cornered at the gate of the vegetable garden," she said sarcastically.

"And when we had eating contest at Brandy Hall," Pippin reminded her. Angie made a face of disgust at the memory as someone else approached them.

"Don't forget the time we almost drowned at Bywater," Merry said as they turned to see him coming towards them.

"Well you idiots put the rocks in your pockets and then went and slipped some in mine," Angie said.

"They put them in mine, too." They now saw Sam and Frodo coming from another direction, Sam having said this statement with a rough glare at both Merry and Pippin.

"You lived..." Pippin said innocently as he continued their task.

x x x

A fabulous supper, Angie had concluded, made their trip through the bog almost worth it. Though she had never had a wild deer that... fresh... before, she still enjoyed it and the rest that she was going to get after that. The fire was small but did the job well of keeping them warm and cooking their meat. Angie ate her fill and drank little, and then she laid down next to the fire, watching its edges glow in the darkness with a content feeling. A thought strayed across her mind that things would not always be this pleasant (and who knew that they could be in a bog), but these few small things with the company of her friends made her feel safe as she let herself slip away into an undisturbed sleep.

Except for one little thing.

Late, somewhere in the middle of the night. Angie heard voices. Her eyes squinted open as she remained motionless, the voice of Strider speaking softly to someone.

"Tis the Lay of Lúthien," she heard him say with a hint of sadness in his tone, frowning somewhat herself. She listened as he went on to explain, "The Elf-maiden who gave her love to Beren, a mortal."

She had never recalled hearing this tale before, she noted, but what was more interested in was the unknown questionnaire who suddenly spoke up.

"What happened to her?"

That was Frodo's voice. Hadn't he fallen asleep yet?

She moved her head ever so slightly to see Strider and Frodo properly. Frodo was perched up on his elbows while Strider had his back to him, turning his head away from Frodo with it lowered (another way Angie could not help but notice that he was troubled about something). She watched him, waiting for an answer to Frodo's question.

"She died," he replied quietly.

Angie now understood why Strider appeared as distressed as he did. What a terrible ending to a story! But why was he telling, singing, or discussing such a sad tale?

Then, Strider looked over his shoulder to Frodo and bid him to get some sleep while the night still lasted. Frodo obeyed and lowered himself back down into his makeshift pillow as Angie continued to watch Strider with bewilderment. A strange moment it was indeed.

She hadn't gotten to ponder it much longer on behalf of Strider ("Get some sleep yourself, Miss Ridell," he said to her surprise as she quickly snapped her eyes shut tight), and after his interference with her curiosity, sleep once again overcame her.

A dream took her back into the bottom of the Fortress with her friends where they were laughing with a tall figure she recalled being Gandalf when she awoke. She remembered that they were eating and just being plain old happy hobbits in the dream, but the weather outside was wet and rainy. But nonetheless, her friends and Gandalf were enjoying the cozy underground of their tree. She smiled as they packed up that morning, but it faded. She missed Gandalf, and his unexplainable absence made its way once again to the front of her mind. It wasn't the absence part so much as the unexplainable part that bothered her. And she knew somehow that the others, and possibly even this Strider, were just as disturbed by it.

x x x

A few days had passed uneventful (unless you found walking exciting; there was plenty of that to go around). The party had celebrated their release from the marshlands with tired and lopsided grins around dusk the night after their stay, and bid the land good riddance. The land was still a little springy for about half of the next day until a wide green meadow opened up with hills enclosing it in a valley. The hobbits were lead to smile again; the green was not exactly the brilliant lush green of the Shire, but it was close enough to remind them of home. Angie had to admit that she missed the Shire even though she had always wanted to get away from it some time.

In the morning the next day, they followed Strider yet again as the routine went. Not far along, Strider had halted to study a ruin on top of one of the hills. The hobbits looked with interest while they were still weary; they had received a very early start that day. Suddenly, when they thought nothing was going to happen, Strider spoke.

"This was the great watchtower of Amon Sûl," he said as if to remind himself instead of informing the others. They had hardly heard him anyways, so she spoke louder when he turned around to them. "We shall rest here tonight."

**. Please Review .**


	15. The Watchtower

(A/N - Hey guys! I am WAY behind on this (even though I have seven chapters left in my archive; I like ten to be between what I write and what I post), but I again blame musical. However, this morning at 4 AM, I am leaving on my chorus trip to New York City for 4 days!! I've never been to NY and musical is finally over, so I deserve this vacation from life, lol. I just wanted to update for you guys since you're so patient and loving. Again, I might not be updating for a while again (I'm still gonna try to catch up), but this should tie you over. Thank you! I hope to reach a hundred reviews with this chapter!! Make it happen please!)

. Reviewers .

x) SpiritGirl of japan - Thank you so much, ma dear. I do try to keep all of my readers happy by updating, but I know the people that love good stories will have the patience and understanding that a good chapter takes more than a few days' time to develop, type up, and post, and thankfully I have readers like that. Others that fall behind, oh well; they miss out. Thank you for your patronage, lol, and your review! Enjoy this chapter, too!

x) Frodo's girl - Oh Ellie! I MISS YOU SO MUCH!!! Musical is FINALLY OVER!!! And I can email you again!!! But not until I get back from New York (though there are rumors that the hotel rooms have free internet access with 40-inch plasma screen TVs, lol). Please send me the next chapter of Krista to read and edit sometime. The show went great, too. I am so exhausted, but I'll have a great email for you when I get back! Thank you for yet another review, and I will talk to you again ASAP (meaning sunday or monday, lol)!!!

x) Jack.Sparrow.1245 - Everybody loves the past, lol. If I am ever to conjure up time after finishing this whole story, maybe I'll write one just on their youth...Well, I WAS ahead, lol. I'm only on 23 now, and I should have finished 25 before posting this by my writing system of give and take for my archive. Oh well. I'll catch up after New York. Thank you for reviewing, and I hope you like this chapter as well!

x) Inkyish - YES!!! I've got you hooked, too! I knew you would like it! Thank you for reveiwing almost every chapter (lol), and I really do hope to hear more and more and more from you! Thank you again for all your kind words and reveiws, and enjoy this one just as much!

x) TheLoneShe-Elf - Hey! I missed you, too, lol! Glad you liked the new chapter, and I can't wait to see what you think of the new one below! Thank you for reveiwing the chapter, and I hope you like and do the same for this one!

.. Huzzah for New York! ..

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Fifteen .  
.. The Watchtower ..**

_Frodo's patience wore thin with Pippin that night. He was almost glad Angie had come to get him so that she could tie the mischievous duo together in their rooms for the night. They were released the next morning by Angie after Merry's mother wondered why they could have possibly been absent at breakfast. The suspicions led Angie to feel a little proud but cautious, so she did untie them, and the two kept their distance that day. Angie had told Frodo it was probably to formulate another plan for revenge as their war for the most cunning, sneaking, and underhanded was ongoing day in and day out. And by the end of that day, Angie had claimed victory for a second day in a row._

_Frodo had also somehow found the patience to rewrite the letter to Bilbo, but he did not do so without a lengthy paragraph explaining the delay on Merry and Pippin's behalf the night before. Later in the evening, well after sundown, he left his room and took the letter to the carrier's box where it was ensured to depart from Brandy Hall the next morning. He apologized silently to his uncle far off as he dropped the letter inside the wooden box and eased the lid shut in the darkness of the vast hall. He took his small latern from the wooden hook and turned around to return to his room, but the hall suddenly had a faint sound echo through it._

_Scared but curious, Frodo looked around for some sort of indicator as to where thesound was coming from. He saw nothing but the soft glow of his own lamp which was less than comforting. Swallowing, he gripped the handle more as he dared to cross the wide wooden floor with the noises he now tried to classify as voices still murmuring somewhere in the dark shadows. He reached the center of the hall before he stopped. He wasn't sure why he did, but he tried to look around again for the source of these voices. It bothered him more that he did not know where they were coming from. He listened intently however, even though good sense told him to run back to his room and pretend it was a dream._

_He could not make out what the low grumbles were, but standing the archway before the gardens was a single person. It made no sense, considering he had heard the multiple voices. This figure in the archway was not moving however, and it made him very cautious even as his feet encouraged him to move closer. He did so, raising his lantern a bit more._

_"Hello?" _

_The figure's head snapped around so fast that Frodo stepped back, startled. Then, slowly, it began to approach him. His breathing picked as pace as well as he held the lantern in front of him, trying to see the face of the person moving towards him. He suddenly heard himself speak in a quivering voice._

_"Who are you?" he asked. "What... what do you want?"_

_Then, the person stopped in the soft light of his lamp with a face almost as fearful as his. He sighed in relief as well as the figure had; Frodo and Angie had discovered each other in the darkness of the Hall. Frodo's relief lasted until a strong urge came over him to reprimand him for the scare. It passed, though. _

_"What are you doing out here?" he asked of her. "It's late. You should be asleep."_

_"As should you," Angie said. "May I ask what you were doing?"_

_"Posting my letter to Bilbo. Now I told you - you tell me what you're doing out at this untimely hour."_

_Angie only looked from side to side and over Frodo's shoulder. Frodo looked as well, still confused. He opened his mouth to ask Angie something, but she only silenced him with a finger to her mouth. She took his free hand and became to pull him along. Frodo followed without a word, but many questions still ran through his mind._

_She lead him to the gardens' grand archway and paused, looking around again. _

_"Angie-"_

_"Shh," she instructed. "Keep quiet and follow me. Put your light out."_

_"But I need it," he protested._

_"Put it out," Angie said. Frodo frowned and did so reluctantly before Angie moved them outside into the gardens. She crossed the dirt in long, light strides without a sound as Frodo tried to keep up. Suddenly, she stopped and crouched behind a bush, Frodo falling to his knees beside her in bewilderment. _

_"What is it?" he asked, looking over the tips of the small waxt leaves of the shrub curiously._

_"Shh!" _

_Frodo complied to her wishes with a ruffled expression as she took a turn peering over the bush now. Her head tunred in every direction quickly, and Frodo sensed that something was wrong. He leaned closer to her to whisper._

_"What's going on?" he asked her. "Is somebody following us?"_

_"Just keep quiet," she urged. After a few more glances over her shoulder, Angie tunred to Frodo. "Leave the lamp here," she instructed._

_"But-"_

_"Leave it," she repeated. "Hurry."_

_Frodo sat the lamp down slowly with a terrible feeling of loss growing in his stomach. He felt Angie wrap her warm hand around his again and stand; he did as well. Angie made sure Frodo had left the lamp before her first cautious step lead to a series of more long strides across the garden. Frodo's eyes stayed on the lantern longingly until it disappeared. When he looked up, they were passing the small stone wall on the left. A few moments later, the trees surrounding the Hall got exceptionally close, and Frodo found himself entering a thicket beneath them with a sudden jolt of panic._

_"Wait," he said, now alarmed. "Where are you taking me? Why are we leaving the gardens?"_

_"You'll see," she answered simply. Angie felt Frodo's want to slow down in the intimidating darkness of the small unfamiliar branches, so shesqueezed his hand tighter and pulled him along faster. "Come on."_

_Frodo tried to calm down. He watched Angie duck and go through this overgrown path as if she had done it many times before. He matched all of her maneuvers to miss braches the jutted out of place and small trees that would suddenly appear on the path. He was beginning to get into the rythym of things when the jumbles of branches suddenly disappeared around him. Angie stopped in front of him, and he looked around wildly; they were now in a clearing. _

_The moon was shining onto a motionless pond as crickets sang around the banks. Frodo felt the rocks and dirt beneath his feet begin to mix with short grass and moss as he stepped forward with Angie. She still held his hand, now leading him around the small pond. Frodo still admired the simple beauty around him as she pulled him on again, however. He now felt a little restless. What was going on._

_"Angie-"_

_SNAP_

_Frodo and Angie both stopped dead and spun around at the noise. A breath of wind suddenly whirled around them, and the foliage swayed lightly. The face of the pond rippled. Frodo looked to Angie. Angie's eyes widened at the strange occurance._

_"Quickly," he said, hastening her step even more. _

_By the time Frodo and Angie hadmade itaround to the other side of the pond, Frodo was practically running after her into another section of tight scrawney trees reaching out to rake across their youthful faces. Now, Angie had released his hand and picked up the pace more. Frodo followed, a fear of what might become of him if he lost sight of her in the back of his mind._

_SNAP_

_A gasp of surprise escaped Frodo as he looked over his shoulder and ran faster through the thicket now.He turnedhis head forward again to see anymore obtacles and Angie's distance from him. He saw he opaque figure dodging a thick low branch suddenly, but it was one he could not counter as fast. His eyes widened before his forehead collided soundly with it. He fell down on the dirt and rocks with a hand reaching up to touch his now throbbing spot. _

_Then out of nowhere, as he thought he might pass out, Angie had lifted him up and took his hand again. She led him throughout the remainder of the thicket until the trees began to thin out. They became more widespread, and Angie suddenly turned to the left after spotting a pile of large rock. She ran over to it and sat down, her backresting against the cool stone. Frodo sat down beside her, his hand still on his head with a painful grimace. Angie frowned and looked over at him._

_"Are you all right?" she asked. Frodo shook his head with a muffled grunt. Angie sighed. "Here, let me see it." _

_She reached up to his forehead and removed his hand from the spot. Frodo blinked his eyes open slowly, and they followed Angie hand up to his new bruise as she gingerly ran her fingers lightly over the raised skin. Frodo hissed in protest._

_"Sorry," she said. "It's quite a bump, but I think you'll be okay. You know, I still havea little knot from falling into the river two months ago." She lifted the front of her hair, and Frodo looked at the long shiny scar on her forehead. He remembered accidently knocking her into th river and giving her this mark, and a small pang of guilt issued from within him._

_"Have we lost whoever was chasing us?" he asked to change the subject._

_Angie had a quick look around. "I think so," she said. "Well, I hope so..."_

_"I still don't know why we're running or where you're taking me,"Frodo said quietly._

_"Oh." A smile of eagerness spread on Angie's face, and her hand slipped inside of Frodo's again. "Come on." She lifted him up, and they walked up the path slowly together, unaware that they were still being followed._

.. x x x ..

It was possibly the most difficult climb Angie had done in the passed few years. Since Bilbo's departure from the night of the party long ago, Angie and her friends hadn't been as rampid and mischievous running around the Shire, save for the occasional bad itch that Pippin insisted they scratch immediately. But more to the point rather, Angie hadn't been climbing through as many trees lately in the recent years, but she still had stamina on her side (which she was thankful for the whole way up).

All day they had climbed the monstrous hill under an overcast sky while the colors of the sun at dusk were shining brilliantly on the horizon. Finally, they were able to throw themselves down onto a rocky ledge and just breathe. Angie fell next to Sam and just lay on the cool rock as it sent a wonderful refreshing feeling through her. She breathed deep and sighed in exhaustion. Sam looked down at her with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"You all right, Miss Angie?" he asked.

"Fine," Angie said breathlessly. "In fact... I want to do it again." Merry leaned back with a furrowed brow and angry eyes, and Angie laughed. "I didn't mean it," she said to him with a smile.

Merry looked to be in deepthought for a brief moment until he leaned forward again, satisfied enough with Angie's comment not to give her another look. Angie still smiled however as she sat up. Frodo was on her other side now taking off his large pack while still a little short of breath. She was about to speak to him when Strider approached and kneeled infront of them and began tossing swords at them. Her eyes widened in surprise until she herself caught one.

"These are for you," he explained in a hushed but hurried voice. "Keep them close." He suddenly rose again, turning to go up a steeper, rockier path that led away from their small ledge as the hobbits examined their swords with curiousity. "I'm going to have a look around," Strider told them as we walked off. "Stay here."

With not much to say to that, the hobbits looked at one another for a moment before beginning to settle. Angie only glanced up to see the others moving aorund the ledge before her eyes moved back to the blade of her sword. She knew it was for protection and that it might possibly save her, but Angie didn't realize that when she left the Shire with the heart to help Frodo get the Ring to Bree that she would need a sword to protect him. Angie had known it was serious since their encounter with the first Rider, but now that she held the weighty sword in her hands, she felt responsibility and uncertainty come with it, along with many other unnerving emotions.

"Angie?"

Her head tilted upward toward the sound of Frodo's voice, but she could not bring her eyes to move away from her new sword just yet. Frodo cast her a concerned look. He kneeled beside her.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, watching her eyes run up and down the sword.

Angie frowned but supressed a small sigh. "No." She sat the sword down beside her gently, letting her fingers run over it. "I just didn't think it would become this serious. At least not this quickly."

Frodo showed a small amount of sympathy and sadness in his face as he looked down at the ground a moment. Angie's comment sank in slowly before he looked up at her in a new perspective. She suddenly took on a vulnerable appearance just sitting there lost in thought. She looked alone, but Frodo knew she was afraid. He felt the same way almost instantly but tried todismissit.

"It will be all right," he told her with hope rather than confidence.

"Somehow, if I have to carry a sword for my own protection, I don't think so," Angie said quietly. Another silence followed as the words hung in the air before them, making them very had to ignore. Finally, Frodo and Angie looked at each other, both of them ready to leave the uncomfortable and stiff portion of space they occupied silently together.

"Hungry?" he offered, rummaging through his bag for something to provide her with. He pulled out a small piece of bread to show her for confirmation.

"Very," Angie admitted as Frodo broke it and gave her some. He kept and ate the other piece himself - the smaller piece. Angie's shoulders fell a little with guilt. "Frodo, it's your bread," she said."I have some of my own. You don't have to-"

"I know," he said. "You can treat me one night then."

He let a soft smile appear as the colors of the sky warmed the tone of his face that had held more of a blueish haze most of the day climbing. Angie nodded and bit into the bread to please him and her empty stomach. She savored it; it tasted better than it ever had as she sat there with Frodo eating. It was delicious.

Once the bread had been devoured and the sky's oranges and reds were almost pushed behind the horizon with black sky, Angie laid back onto the cool rock and rested her head on her pack with her eyes shut. Another chill drove itself all over her body, but she took it in stride as her eyes remained shut. She could sense Frodo doing the same; he was wrapping himself up in his cloak as he laid down. She heard him yawn and finally settle.

Then, her eyes opened and looked over at him. There was only about a a foot and a half between them as she rolled over on her side to face him. She saw his sword laying right beside him and frowned again in thought. As she lay there motionless in revelry, Frodo's eyes snapped open causing Angie to startle. He smiled, and Angie felt herself go pink for a split second. Thank goodness it was getting darker. He averted his eyes, looking at his sword instead.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing."

Frodo saw her eyes still lingering on his sword as a trance overcame them, and he coveredthe swordwith his cloak. He met Angie's confused eyes with reason. Had he not done it, she would not let the worry allow her some sleep. Angie looked away from the covered sword.

"Get some sleep," Frodo told her. "It will be morning before you know it."

Angie nodded and laid back down, shutting her eyes slowly. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Frodo watched her until she was alseep and his own eyelids began to close on him. This was going to be much more difficult than he could possibly fathom, especially with Angie's words still running around through his mind. And she was right. He didn't realize how serious things had become so quickly. They were given swords to carry now. With a knot beginning to work itself inside of his stomach, Frodo fell asleep uneasily with Angie's face blurring into nothingness in front of him.

x x x

Angie didn't sleep long, and she felt annoyed and groggy as she woke up in the dead of night. She didn't even know why she had woken up, but it was plain to see that she wasn't going to have an easy time going back to sleep, so she sat up and stretched a little. She allowed herself to recollect what had happened that day - the climb, the swords, Strider leaving to explore for a while, the bread Frodo had shared with her, falling asleep, and waking up shortly after.

She wondered if Strider had returned yet and knew Frodo must still be sleeping, but a warm flicker of light caught her eye in the darkness, and she looked to her left. A small fire was going with three of her friends sitting around it whispering quietly. She made out the faces to be that of Merry, Sam, and Pippin, and slowly she picked herself up and walked towards the warmth of the tiny fire. She sat down without a word, Merry smiling at her.

"Hey, you're awake," he said. "Did you smell the bacon? Mm mm mmm!"

Pippin waved a pan of sizzling food over the fire trying to tempt her, but Angie only let her tired face flash a quick smile. She shook her head.

"None for me," she said. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Pippin asked. "We have a fine assortment of tomatoes and sausages as well, as you can see." He took his fork, issued to each item in the frying pan, and brandished a large smile at her to try and convince her to try some. But Angie still declined, having not recovered still from the horrid memory of the last time Pippin tried to cook something.

"That's all right," she said. "Frodo and I ate before we fell asleep."

"Leave him some anyways," Sam said suddenly. "I'm sure he'd like some bacon."

Pippin shrugged his shoulders as he pulled the pan out of the fire to examine its contents. "Suit yourself," he said to Angie, serving Sam and Merry some food and leaving a plate aside for Frodo. "That just leaves more tomatoes for me." At this, he hungrily dumped the remaining tomatoes in the pan onto his plate. Angie felt herself smile.

"You can have your tomatoes," Angie laughed. "I don't really care for them."

Suddenly, all three of the hobbits sitting around her looked up with an expression of shock and disbelief. Angie frowned defensively; she didn't mean to offend them! She just didn't like tomatoes!

"What?" she asked. "It's not a crime."

"In my kitchen, it is," Merry said, starting to eat a plate of food.

"Well then I'll be sure to stay out of Brandy Hall then," she said sarcastically. "I don't understand you three. We've been friends how long and you didnt know that I don't like tomatoes? We've stolen them loads of times from Farmer Maggot and I've never eaten them."

"Oh, hush up and have a sausage, woman," Pippin said, thrusting a plate out towards her.

Angie smiled and took the plate, but she didn't eat it right away. She just watched Pippin serve himself more bacon before putting some new in the pan. She then examined her sausage; it wasn't too bad in the dark. Carefully, she picked it up and brought it to her nose. It smelled safe... Finally, Angie let herself take a bite. Her eyes lit up briefly as she chewed more eagerly now.

"Oh, Pip, this is great," she said. "And you made it, too. That's amazing..."

"Actually no," Pippin said guiltily. "Merry's the one telling me how to do it. He's just lazy and doesn't want to hold the pan."

Merry gave a proud smile at which Angie laughed. Pippin became sour, but she still thought it was funny.

"And to think I thought you could cook..."

**. Please Review .**


	16. The Blade

OVER ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS!!! WOOT!!!

(A/N - And I have no one but you to thank, so I do! THANK YOU!!! You've made me so happy amidst the dark days of ailment and nasty rumors around school I'm enduring via a jealous exfriend. Also, today is the one year anniversary of posting this story! OMG! I need to update more if I wanna finish this by the time I'm married, lol. Thank you for all the support, and I'll update ASAP!)

. Reviewers .

x) bdrake07 - Hehe... It was a Pippin thing to say, huh? I thought it fit, and it was funny, so I added it, and you commented! Thanks! Thanks for reviewing, too, and enjoy the chapter!

x) jennyplz. - New York was hysterically awesome and fun, lol. I got to bargain in Chinatown! Woot! Glad you continue to like the relationship as it builds! Keep reading, and thanks for reviewing! Enjoy!

x) Jack.Sparrow.1245 - Yes! Two people commented on the sausage scene so far, lol. I'm so glad I didn't cut that and go right to the Ringwraith attack. Thank you for your review and your patience, and I hope you like this chapter just as much!

x) Elwing-Evenstar - I had a blast on that trip, lol, but the aforementioned rumors above by the jealous friend are actually based off of a joke made in New York that she wasn't even involved with. But it's okay; we know we're innocent. Aside from the drama, thanks for reviewing again! Enjoy!

x) Padme4000 - LoL. You're fine. I've had a busy schedule, too. We can get through it! haha... Thanks for the review, and enjoy the new chapter!

x) Ellie - OMG! I missed you! Hawaii sounded awesome, and I have to say that I'm not making much headway on this right now, too (still pulling from the archive). But don't worry. I send in my college app for IUP yesterday, and as soon as I know, I can breathe again, lol. Thank you for reviewing and returning to my life, lol. I'll email you ASAP!! P.S. - You're my one hundreth reviewer, lol. GO YOU!

x) Inkyish - FrAngie, lol. I like! Maybe I should hold a contest of morphing the two names together as a shipper? Nah, we'll just stick to FrAngie, lol. And if you liked that puff of fluff, wait til Frodo's dream... Thanks for your review, and enjoy the new chapter!

x) TheLoneShe-Elf - The trip was super cool! I took dramamine for the first time ever because we went on a dinner cruise and I didn't know if I'd get sick on a boat for four hours, so I took two, and I passed out 20 min before it was over, lol. I don't remember getting off the boat or into my hotel room; it was scary, lol. But I'm okay, and Mr. M will not let me take dramamine ever again, lol. Thanks for revieiwng, and I hope you like the next chapter!

x) Toria Sparrow - Woot! New reader/ reviewer! Is Toria short for Victoria? Awesome name either way, though, lol. Thank you for reviewing, and keep reading! Enjoy!

.. NY rocked, but the rumors do not ..

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Sixteen .  
.. The Blade..**

_At the top of the small hill surrounded with tall grass, Frodo and Angie stopped in the center, and Frodo looked around. Hundreds of small white flowers were mixed in with the tall grass that seemed to be glowing lightly in the moonlight. Captivated by the eerie yet beautiful aura around these tiny little moon flowers, Frodo reached out to touch them gently, almost to make sure that they were real. Angie laughed at how he had reacted, but she knew that he would appreciate it. Frodo smiled over to her plucked a flower from the others. _

_"It's lovely," he said. "I've never seen any flower like it."_

_"I know Sam would be astonished," Angie giggled, walking up to his side. "We'll have to bring him here someday."_

_"Tonight's a full moon, too," Frodo pointed out, looking upwards to the moon. He looked back down at the flower twirling between his fingers with a pleasant smile. He glanced over at Angie. "Thank you for bringing me-"_

_SNAP_

_Both of them gasped and looked down the path to the little clearing. A dark figure stood at the bottom of the hill motionless. Angie began to step back slowly, and Frodo gently pushed her behind him with his eyes still fixed on the figure. He swallowed a hard lump in his throat since it was still not moving; Frodo himself was becoming paralyzed with fear. Angie was looking from over his left shoulder frightfully._

_"Frodo, who is that?" she asked. "What is that?"_

_"I was about to ask you the same thing," he said uneasily._

_"Why isn't it moving?"_

_"I don't know! Maybe we should run."_

_"I think we're surrounded and don't know it," Angie confessed anxiously._

_"By who?" Frodo asked incrediously, glancing back at her with wide eyes._

_"I don't know! I just think that it's too late for us to do anything!"_

_As their arguing continued on what to do to get away from the menacing figure at the bottom of the hill, Pippin's head poked up from the moon flowers and tall grass quietly. He saw Frodo and Angie with their backs to him, and at the bottom of the small hill, Merry was standing still as stone as Frodo and Angie panicked a mere six feet from himself. He smiled evilly as his eyes became bright with mischief. He slowly ducked down in the flowers again to think everything over one last time._

_"Come on, Pippin... come on..."_

_At the bottom of the hill where the frightning figure stood was Merry - he wasn't near the scary outlined thing, he was the scary outlined thing. His fists were clenched tightly as he just stood there waiting for Pippin to do his half of their little revenge strike. He wanted to move badly... oh, he wanted to move terribly! He leg was starting to hurt from being planted to the ground so firmly. He tried to fight it off with determination on staring intently at Frodo and Angie to scare them as his leg's discomfort grew. He mumbled under his breath again for Pippin to hurry._

_"Come on, you... Hurry..."_

_"Angie, I say we run for it,"Frodo whispered again._

_"No." Angie shook her head and ducked behind Frodo again. "I'm too afraid."_

_"We'll run together," he reassured her, letting his eyes fall away from the thing in front of them._

_He looked at his hand as he reached around to take hers, and she let him take it along with her trust. He gripped it tightly, and she did the same as their eyes moved back up to the motionless figure. Angie felt herself getting short of breath just standing there. Frodo felt the hair on his neck stand on end as her warm quick breaths shocked his cool skin. He was beginning to feel nervous now._

_"Quick, before we don't have the chance," Frodo said to her. His eyes were leading from the figure some as his head turned to hear Angie reply better._

_"Frodo... I don't want to..."_

_"We have to."_

_"No we don't."_

_"Angie."_

_"What?"_

_"Just hold on and run."_

_He squeezed her hand tighter and began to run straight down the hill towards the figure. Angie's eyes widened in horror at what he was doing and felt herself slipping out of his grip as another force pulled her in the opposite direction. Panic dawned on them both; Frodo looked back, trying to grab for her hand again as he kept running faster down the slope, and Angie didn't want him to let this other force get her._

_"Frodo!"_

_"Angie!"_

_As their hands lost touch with each other, Frodo made one more stretch to her, but in the process he stumbled forward into a very uncoordinated tumble. His feet tangled and brought him crashing down to the ground where he rolled a few times against the damp earth until he landed on his stomach in a painful and awkward position._

_Time stopped for a split second as he laid there. Frodo was afraid to move and listened for sounds of the figure moving and waited for a rush of pain from somehwere in his body after his fall. But neither came, so he looked up cautiously around him. He pushed his hands into the ground to try and bring himself up, but he winced at the sudden aches throughout his arms, shoulders and back and let his stomach sag to the ground again. Then, after a second of recovering, he overcame the painful sensations in his upper body and pushed himself into a crouching postion._

_Happy with this much success, he looked round him carefully. The figure was gone, and the air was silent except for a light passing breeze. The little moon flowers in the tall grass on the hill were swaying gently, but they were alone up there; Angie was gone. She was not lying anywhere nearby from what Frodo's limited sight allowed him to see, and the figure was gone._

_What was going on?_

_He stood up with the weight of his hurting arms beginning to throb a little. He walked around without a sound as he whispered for Angie around the brush and shadows, but to no avail. Angie was gone, and the figure must have taken her somehow. How, he had not even began to fathom yet (with Angie being behind him and the figure being in front of him and all), but he had to find her before he could go back to Brandy Hall. He didn't know exactly where to how to find her, but then a shrill yell echoesd around him, and he immediately looked in its direction._

_And he ran towards it._

_x x x_

_Angie struggled tremendously to reach for Frodo's hand again, but as he fell forward, she fell back. The force pulling her had suddenly taken a form as she had landed on it, and it had squealed in pain. She emitted a scream in fright as she tried to scramble away on her hands and knees, but the thing pulling her grabbed her ankles roughly. She turned on her back near tears and began kicking as hard as she could to throw off her attacker, but just when its grip had lessened and she thought she could get away, two hands were suddenly tight around her ankle. She looked back in shock to see two figures now wrestling with her feet and didn't know what to do._

_She sat up, trying to hit them and get them off, but they overpowered her. In a flash, all three were tumbling down a steep slope through the moon flowers and tall grass. It lasted forever (fifteen seconds can really feel longer than that sometimes), but then they landed in a jumble at the bottom in a small patch of grass and dirt. Angie heard a small stream nearby as she tried to get away again, but she ran into thick thornbushes. She tried another way out, but the side of the hill was too steep and the thornbushes enclosed them in every other direction._

_She was trapped._

_Merry and Pippin, troublemakers that they were, had known of a way out (seeing as that was the plan). As Angie kicked herself away from them left them to moan for a minute, they caught glimpses of her running into one dead end after another and panicking. Merry didn't smiile; he wanted revenge for yesterday and the kicking she had bruised them up with. He got up and motioned to Pippin for hgim to follow, and together the two of them crossed the brook and passed into a clearer portion of thornbushes. They congratulated each other as they left Angie there terrified._

_She didn't see or hear them leave. But once she had tried a good four times to get out, she noticed that they were missing. This scared her more. What was happening? Where were her captors? And why had they left her here? She sat down against the sheer hillside with her knees to her chest as she began to feel herself fighting back tears. She looked up; the tall grass of the hill was so far up. She thought of yelling, and her mind seemed to like the idea as well. She suddenly began calling out for Frodo to her surprise._

_"Frodo?" she whispered at first. Then she leaned away from the hill, stood up, and craned her neck to see the top of the hill. "Frodo!" she said louder. "Frodo!" she shouted this time. "Oh, where are you?" she asked helplessly._

_She began to sink back down to the ground when she heard something rustle. She looked up quickly towards the hilltop, but a small rock hit her shoulder._

_Then her eyes flashed. Someone was up there._

.. x x x ..

A strange dream had overcame Frodo.

Pleasant though it was, it was still strange.

x

_He turned the corner out of the private study in Bag End after doing a good deal of writing with an empty cup in his hand._ As he entered the main room, Bilbo was there atthe table by the windowtalking to Angie. Bilbo looked much older, but Angie still looked the same. Her dress was still plain but complimentary to her figure, and her hair was still brilliant red and flowing down over her back. As they sat at the table pointing out things in books and on maps, Frodo approached curiously and sat his cup down. The map showed Mirkwood, the large forest in which Bilbo and his dwarf companions had gone astray in on their way to the Lonely Mountain years ago.

Suddenly, Angie went to the kitchen, and Sam was standing next to him looking at the books with interest. Frodo looked at Bilbo. He looked tired and so much older now with his white hair and cane propped against the chair. He had many wrinkles on his face as well. He remembered feeling sad during this part of the dream until Angie came in and handed each of them a piece of cake. Carrot, Frodo had recalled oddly enough.

Angie smiled at them and then stood next to Frodo, putting an arm around his lower back as she and Bilbo laughed together. This surprised him greatly, but as if instinct, the dream Frodo put his arm around her waist casually while the voice of his real mind thought it was incredible that this was going unnoticed as surprising to anyone, including his dream self as if it were perfectly fine! His eager mind let the dream continue as he just stood there comfortably entertaining guests with Angie next to him. He knew he had smiled; it was nice just standing there with her. In the dream, they were a couple, and that was obvious. Snippets of conversation drifted in and out of his memory of the dream.

"Oh I miss my days of fighting dragons..." Bilbo's voice said, longing for youth again.

"Can I get you anything else?" he rememebered Angie ask Sam and Bilbo several times.

Sam did not talk in his dream; he was far too interested in the books scattered on the tabletop.

"How are feeling?" Bilbo had asked him.

"Better," the dream Frodo replied. Frodo's mind became perplexed. Better?

"Wonderful."

"How is the book coming?" Angie asked him.

Book?

He knew he had responded, but he didn't know what book they were referring to.

Later in the dream, Angie had left again. Sam smiled at something on the map of Mirkwood and said something about Bilbo's stories from when they were young. Bilbo laughed kindly as Frodo stood idle. He remembered turning around because Angie had called for something, but as he did, he was no longer in Bag End.

The hallway deteriorated into a long stone pathway with firey glow all around it. As this pathway came to a sudden end with what looked like a far drop, Angie just stood there holding another book that had come from the bookcase that used to be there. She was looking at it as she walked towards the drop of the stone path, and Frodo felt panic. He began to run after her.

When he reached her at the end of the path, he threw his arms around her to stop her from falling. She dropped the book in surprise, and they looked down into a huge river of lava as hot winds gusted around them.

In the lava far below, Frodo's eye was attracted to something that glowed brightlynext to where the book had fallen. As he looked closer, he saw a small gold band melting, and he suddenly knew that it was the Ring. A feeling of loss filled him. He leaned forward more to make sure that he was right, but the end of the stone pathway suddenly cracked and broke. He held Angie tighter as the two of them went plummeting to the lava, but before they met their firey end, Frodo woke up.

x

He jolted awake, and his eyes flashed open. He felt his heart pounding as worry and anxiety strained it. Frodo went through the dream quickly and tried to recall what he could. Angie was with him, Bilbo was back in Bag End, the firey cave with the stone path and lava river, and the Ring. He felt the urgencey to put it on after seeing it there in the lava river melting, but he talked himself out of it. He could not fail.

Angie preoccupied these thoughts for now. He felt scared as he pictured them falling together again. It really bothered him. His obsession with the Ring was taking him, and he let Angie get hurt. Not really, but what if something like this really did happen? What if Angie was hurt because of his carelessness and pull to the Ring? He had to stop thinking about it and allowing it to overpower him. His friends meant too much to him for him to let the Ring distract him, even though the Ring did not allow him a say in the situation.

He tried to push all thoughts of the dream from his mind, even the brief part of content when he stood with his arm around Angie and hers around him. The whole thing was hard to let go of, but voices began to distract his train of thought. He sat up and looked over his shoulder; Sam, Angie, Merry, and Pippin were sitting safely around a fire muttering things amongst themselves as they cooked up something to eat.

Frodo suddenly became alarmed when he saw the fire. They would be spotted if the Wraiths were nearby! He jumped up and ignored the smiles and food his friends offered to him and began stamping out the fire quickly. His four friends leaned away as sparks, coals, and ashes began flying out from under his foot.

"Oh that's nice!" Pippin said irritably as he looked at his plate. "Ash on my tomatoes!"

Immediately after Frodo had gotten the fire down and Pippin had issued his complaint, a shrill, piercing shriek split the night air and sent chills and fright through each of the hobbits as they got to their feet. They stared out into the darkness of the land below them frozen, and five fleeting figures glided swiftly towards the base of the watchtower. Angie looked up at the others as they pulled out their swords.

"The Riders..." she said breathlessly as Frodo motioned her friends up the steep narrow path Strider had climbed earlier that evening.

"Go!" Frodo said urgently to her.

He looked back out over the ledge as Angie followed them, taking up her sword from the place where she had slept and unsheathing it quickly. They raced up, up, and up until the path led them to an open floor of stone worn and cracked from age and exposure to the elements. The wind was much fiercer up here in the ruins than down in the overhang, too. Angie felt her breath get caught in a gust. Her mind raced.

Not knowing where to go, she followed Merry, Pippin, and Sam to the middle of the ruins. They stood back to back in a circle with their swords out in front of them, each one slightly shaking. They shuffled around nervously as they wondered where the Riders were and when they would show themselves. Their eyes darted wildly. Angie was scared as she looked at her sword again.

Things were definately serious now.

Inside the broken ring of pilliars, Frodo suddenly had an eerie sensation come over him; he sensed the presence of unfriendly eyes on him and turned. There, against the black of night, figures more black than the sky appeared. Five ghostly forms rose up outside of the pillars, and the color in Angie's face vanished. She felt weak and sickly as the Wraiths surrounded them with their powerful aura, but she bunched together with her friends prepared to fight if she must to stop them from getting Frodo and the Ring. Though they knew it would not do much, they were ready to fight without a choice. They had to try.

As the Wraiths stood towering over Sam, the tight knots in his throat and stomach throbbed painfully with fear, but he vowelled not to give into them. He had to protect Frodo no matter what the cost was.

_"Don't you lose him Samwise Gamgee!"_

"Back you devils!" Sam suddenly shouted with determination and angeras he ran forward to attack the Ringwraith. His sword had barely met that of the Wraith's when he was quickly tossed aside. He hit one of the old sturdy stone pillars with a terrible force that made him slump to the ground unconscious.

Angie's mouth fell open in horror at the scene that had flashed before her, leaving Sam there unaware of anything and unable to help them. She looked up at the Wraiths terrified as Merry and Pippin came shoulder to shoulder to close the gap between the Wraiths and Frodo. At the last second, she pushed herself into Pippin's shoulder with her eyes still locked on the tall Wraith. But in one swift movement, all three of them were thrown, and Angie landed hard on her back painfully.

She writhed in agony for a time before holding her breath and holding the pain down. She sat up with difficulty and immediately looked to Frodo. He had dropped his sword, fell backwards, and he was now backed against one of the pillars with the five Wraiths bearing down on him in a very calm but quick manner.

She ran over to get Sam so that he could help her. There was no way she could do anything by herself against five of the Riders. She kneeled next to Sam and began shaking him andslapping his cheeks lightly as she stole hurried glances from where Frodo was. After a few more taps, Sam was coming around when Angie was looking at Frodo, and then right before her eyes, he was gone again.

Just like in Bree.

"Angie?"

She shook out of her trance. "Sam! I think Frodo just put the Ring on!"

Sam and Angie looked back to where Frodo had been and saw a the lead Wraith raise him large sword and stab the air. By this time, Strider had emerged from the shadows and began to fight the Wraiths with fire and steel. Sam was trying to get up with Angie's help so they could go to Frodo's aid as well, but before a step was taken, Frodo instantly reappeared with a loud painful cry. Angie's heart stopped for a moment. The Wraith had got him.

"Frodo!"

They ran to his side avoiding the screaming Wraiths and fell on either said of him. They began searching for a wound immediately.

"Oh Sam..."

"Hold on, Frodo," Angie said near tears now.

Then, her eyes met the sight of the injury; a large hole and dark red spot was on his upper left shoulder and growing. She felt everything inside of her tense as she looked up at Sam. Merry and Pippin were suddenly standing over him as one of the Nazgûl emitted the loudest shriek of them all and feld from the ruins. Angie began to sob as Frodo started to moan in agony and gasp for air. He couldn't die like this. Not now.

Sam knew not what to do but tohave the Ranger help him. Strider was at Frodo's side before Sam was through shouting for him, and the four other hobbits looked to him with strained faces as he picked up and examined the sword that Frodo had been stabbed with.

"He's been stabbed with a Morgul blade," Strider explained with a grim expression. Angie knew it must be bad if it had belonged to one of the Wraiths, and her thoughts were confirmed as the blade in Strider's hands dissolved and scattered in the wind. Angie felt her stomach drop and her heart move into her throat.

"You've got to help him!" she suddenly cried at the Ranger desperately.

He gave her an unreadable expression. "This is beyond my skill to heal," he told them,leaning over Frodo now. "He needs elvish medicine." Strider then took Frodo up in his arms without delay and began to leave the ruins. The hobbits followed without voicing their questions as more shrieks from the fleeing Nazgûl could be heard. Sam was insatiable however.

"We're six days from Rivendell!" he said. "He'll never make it!"

"Hold on, Frodo," the Ranger said as they began to race from the ruins.

**. Please Review .**


	17. The Elves

(A/N - I don't want to get too many hopes up; I haven't recently written anything new, and I know it's been ages since I've updated, but I found about seven or eight completed chapters of this I had stored online for safe keeping, and I just came across them and decided to post them maybe a week at a time in hopes of getting me to keep writing more of it. I admit for a while life has sucked me in (I am in college now! Exciting!), but I have all intentions of still writing in my free time (when I have it). I thank you all for your patience, and I appreciate so much. Hopefully things will pick up for this soon.)

A big thank you to my reviews for Chapter 16!  
**Ellie, jenny gryffindork., bdrake07, Desinere, Jack.Sparrow.1245, Padme4000, Toria sparrow, SaphirePhoenix**

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Seventeen .  
**.. The Elves ..

_Angie looked up from her shoulder where the rock had hit her and up at the person on top of the hill. She feared for a brief second that it was the figure who had brought her down here in the first place, but the concern in its voice told her otherwise._

_"Angie?" it whispered. "Are you down there?"_

_She smiled thankfully, never so happy to hear Frodo's voice. "Yes!" she said. "The thing... it pushed me down here and left me!"_

_"Is there a way out?" he asked. "Can you see anything?"_

_"The woods are too thick and cliff is too sheer," Angie said. "I don't see how I can get out."_

_"Is that tree beside you climbable?" _

_Angie suddenly noticed the tree on her right with many branches. It looked young, though; the branches might not be strong enough to hold her, especially at the top. She looked unsurely from the tree up to Frodo's silhouetted figure. He was already beginning to climb into the upper boughs himself cautiously. Angie bit her lip, wanting badly to advise against it until he came tumbling down through the tree, landing on the ground soundly. Angie ran over to him horrified._

_"Frodo! Are you all right?"_

_He sat up, moaning in pain and holding his left side. "I'm fine," he winced. "Just... landed on a rock. Ow..."_

_"Landing on a rock is not fine," Angie said. "Just sit there and rest while I try to find a way out."_

_"Why don't we just wait?" Frodo said, wheezing a bit painfully now as he leaned back into the cliff for support. "It's too dark to make out anything let alone the road home." _

_A__ngie had to admit that he was right and sat down beside him feeling quite defeated. She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin there as the nighttime atmosphere made her feel vulnerable even after she had run around late at night in Shire loads of times with Merry and Pippin. She thought about what those things might do if they found them and attacked again, but-_

_"Wait a second," Angie said suddenly, putting her hand on Frodo's arm._

_"What is it?" he said, noticing how alert she had become. He looked and listened, but then he came to realize that she was thinking. Then, a smile came across her face. But, almost as soon as it had appeared, it was replaced with an angry twisted face. Angie made a fist and hit the ground._

_"It was them!" she said in a whisper of frustration to Frodo. _

_"Who?" he asked in confusion._

_"Merry and Pippin!" she said. "They did this to us! The attackers had to be hobbits because they were just as big as us, and they're probably doing this to get back at me for last night. I knew it!"_

_"Are you certain?" Frodo asked._

_"Frodo, who else could it possibly be?"_

_Frodo thought this over. She had a point. The sizes, the motive, and trick could only be Merry and Pippin. He sighed. Nothing was ever going to stop their persistant tricks and schemes. At least he had Angie who knew a little about the way their minds worked enough to help counter their little pranks. He was grateful for that._

_"I guess you're right," he said eventually. "What do you suggest we do now?"_

_"Well, in the morning we need to find our way back to the Hall," Angie said. "After that, we lay low until a very clever and... interesting... opprotunity presents itself."_

_Frodo nodded. "All right. Do you think it's safe to fall asleep here?"_

_"I hope so because I'm beat," Angie said with a long yawn. She shut her eyes and leaned back into the rock with some discomfort, but she eventually found a spot she could withstand for the time being. From beside her, Frodo lifted an eyebrow._

_"You don't look at all satisfied with that rock," he said._

_"Well it's no bed," she said, her eyes remaining closed, "but it will have to do. Goodnight, Frodo."_

_He smiled at her having a feeling that she was just being stubborn. He moved closer and gently wrapped an arm around her until she was close enough that her head was resting comfortablly on his shoulder. Angie opened her eyes in surprise even though Merry and Pippin had fallen asleep like this with her loads of times. _

_She felt him lower his head atop hers, and she felt the steady but relaxed rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. She had never been this close to Frodo before. She had never felt him actually breathe. It was a moment of brief amazement, but also of thanks - Frodo had saved her form having to toss and turn in her sleep all night. _

_She moved closer to properly get comfortable and let out a content sigh as Frodo released a small one as well. A gentle breeze then rolled over them, and together they inhaled the fresh wind. But as the seconds passed, the wind began to pick a little more, and Angie and Frodo opened their eyes suspiciously. _

_Angie sat up, and they looked up at the sky as clouds began to cover the moon and something small hit her cheek. She looked over at Frodo who wipedthe tiny wet splashoff of her facewith his thumb in surprise and returned his gaze towards the clouds with her. They came faster and larger as the wind still picked up more, and suddenly, widely spaced and large raindrops instantly became a sheet of rain. Angie calmly looked over at Frodo as they sat in the middle of the downpour. He finally stopped looking up at the rain and over at her as well._

_"Now what do we do?" she asked loudly over the rain._

_"There's not much we can do, is there?" he asked._

_"No," she agreed before thunder and lightning accompanied the rainstorm. The two hobbits looked up frightfully._

_"Maybe we should sit under the tree," Frodo hollered._

_Angie decided not to waste her time yelling over the storm and just nodded andcrawled over to the tree trunk with Frodo where it was not equally as wet but still uncomfortable. He scooted closer to her and returned his arm to its place behind her back as they watched the storm continue to intensify. Angie shuddered a few times as the lightning flashed brightly around them. Frodo rested his head on top of hers again._

_"They are going to wish they never brought me here," Angie suddenly muttered miserably. _

_Frodo smiled out to the storm. "I think they already have."_

_"Well they'll wish it a hundred more times after I get through with them," she said grumpily. "Toss me down in ditch and leave for the night... I'll show them. There's far worse than this!"_

_x x x_

_For it was very true._

_Things may have been uncomfortable for Angie and Frodo stuck under a tree in the storm, but things were becoming increasingly unbearable for Merry and Pippin._

_As they came out of the thorn thicket leaving Angie to a night all by her lonesome, strong gusts of wind and large raindrops greeted them. Pippin held onto a nearby tree as he waited for Merry to come out, but he was almost blown back inside. Pippin grabbed his shirt and pulled him to the tree._

_"We're not going to make it back in this storm, Merry!" Pippin shouted._

_"Come on!" he replied anyways. "We have to try! It wouldn't be no fun if we leave her out here and we get stuck in our own hole!"_

_Together they battled the wind and spaced droplets to the clearing with the pond. The rain bounced off of the water's surface noisily as they looked around for the way back. Merry cursed himself for not remembering._

_"Merry! Maybe we should-"_

_"No! It's this way!" he interjected, taking the first path he saw. Pippin followed reluctantly down an unfamiliar dirt path behind his best friend as the large raindrops kept hittig off of his head and gettinf tangled in his curly mess of hair. Soon, they came to a fork that neither of them recalled seeing, and Merry turned, looking back down the road they had just travelled._

_"Oh that's brilliant!" Pippin suddenly shouted. "Now we're lost, too."_

_"We're not lost," Merry said. "I just can't find the road. There's a difference. Plus it's dark. and the clouds taking away our moonlight doesn't help much either." He moved passed Pippin, going back in the direction they had come from._

_"Merry, face it!" Pippin yelled. "We're lost!"_

_Merry's face fell as he looked slowly back at Pippin. "You don't suppose that... Angie got so mad... maybe this is her revenge somehow?" he asked somewhat fearfully. To Pippin, it didn't sound too far off._

_"Somehow, I think so, maybe," he said, walking up to Merry. "If it is, I think we deserve it, though."_

_Merry nodded in agreement aprehensively. "Yeah. Maybe we took it a little too far this time..."_

_"Well, at least things can't get any worse than this," Pippin muttered._

_And of course, at that moment, the rain turned into a downpour, and Merry looked over at Pippin sourly, now soaked clear through to his skin._

_"You were saying?"_

_Pippin looked up at the sky angrily. _

_"It obviously wasn't enough of an apology to redeem ourselves," he finally declared. Merry looked over at him feeling very miffed._

_"Obviously," he muttered._

.. x x x ..

"Look, Mr. Frodo! It's Mr. Bilbo's trolls!"

Worry overtook Sam's smile immediately again as Frodo lay at his feet emitting stranger and stranger shrieks and groans. Pippin was supplying light from his newly accquired torch over Sam with an equally woeful look at Frodo. Merry was standing nearby trying to calm Angie's anguish as she silently allowed tears to spring from her eyes every so often. He held her close to him to soothe her, but neither of them could tear their eyes away from their wailing friend. Angie became more rigid and frightened as Frodo's screams intensified.

"He's going cold!" Sam was now yelling to the Ranger who was waving his torch near the ground in search of something.

"Is he going to die?" Pippin then asked.

Angie's heart caught in her throat. She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want it said. It was almost like a given that he was probably not going to make it, but hearing the words... They were like thunder. So loud and hard to ignore even when spoken so softly. Her head fell, and she took a deep breath, emitting more tears without a sound. Merry noticed and held her closer however, squeezing her hand for comfort.

Sam was right. They were never going to make it to Rivendell in time. Only an hour had passed since he was stabbed, and already, the life in his eyes was disappearing.

"He's passing into the Shadow world," Strider's voice said, bringing Angie back to the horrible reality she faced. "He will soon become a wraith like them."

Angie looked up. Frodo become one of those awful creatures? It was a fate no one deserved!

Then, a Nazgûl cry sounded not too far from where they were. The hobbits looked around uneasily until Frodo emitted a similar sound. Their eyes fell on him with fear. He was calling out to them.

Merry looked around in alarm. "They're close," he said, the words floating around Angie's head as she stood with him.

Her eyes went back to Frodo as Strider ran over to Sam and they discussed a weed that could help slow the effects of the poison. She watched him lay there sadly as he jolted with every scream of torment. His usually deep bright eyes were now shiny, shallow,and glass-like. They weren't their normal charming blue; they were the cold color of frost instead of warm and happy. She wished she could see him happy again. Back in the Shire, not a care to pass except what to eat for supper. The memories stung as she looked at him now.

"Do you think we should prop him up?" Pippin asked, motioning to a rock in the hillside.

"Let him lie," Merry said. "We don't want any chances to be taken."

Sam came back after a few moments looking in the underbrush around his friends urgently for the Athelas. Merry and Pippin looked around curiously at what he was doing, but Angie was still lost in a better place with her bittersweet thoughts as she stared passed the limits of Frodo's body. Suddenly, like a limp doll, she slipped out of Merry's grasp and fell to her knees on the ground, looking lifeless herself. She reminisced Frodo's laughter as Merry kneeled beside her quickly. His voice was faint, and Frodo's distant laughter grew fainter.

Merry watched her, afraid. "Angie?" She kept staring into another world. "Angie, say something," Merry demanded softly. He grabbed her hand and shook it when she did not move again. "Angie?"

She blinked. Merry was somewhat relieved, but now she was leaning forward, her mouth opening.

"What?" Merry asked.

He looked. Frodo's head was turning, and a beautiful maiden fell to his side, calling out his name like an angel. Something caught in Merry's throat. She seemed to glow with perfection. She had to be an angel. Was she there to take Frodo from them? There to spare him? Her radiance was distracting him.

"Who is she?" he asked in awe.

"She's an elf," Sam said with equal amazement.

Angie stared at the lovely maid, curious as to how far they really were from Rivendell to have an elf stumble upon them in the Wild. Strider's body clad in black pushed itself out of the background. The elf was examining him as the Ranger placed some chewed Kingsfoil on Frodo's wound. He gave a startling gasp.

"He's not going to last," the she-elf said. "We must get him to my father." The rest faded out again to Angie. Her father? Who was her father? How could he possibly save her dear friend? Merry had shouted something, but he was ignored as the elf and Strider put Frodo on her horse and spoke quietly in elvish. She recognized a word or two. Frodo had taught her a few phrases long ago.

Suddenly, as the elf mounted the horse, Angie stood, eyes alight with fear. She didn't have a good feeling of Frodo being on the horse. Wraiths were in the vicinity in search of the Ring, and Frodo was weak. He didn't stand a chance. Merry grasped her elbow for the fear of her darting forward to interfere.

"Let go," she said to him.

"No, she's taking him safety."

"How do you know?"

"I don't know," Merry replied quietly, still watching the elf maiden.

Angie was about to struggle for the release of her arm when the horse suddenly took off.

"No!"

All of them looked to Strider in disbelief.

"What are you doing?!" Sam shouted at him. "Those wraiths are still out there!"

"He's defenseless!" Angie cried. "They'll kill him!"

Strider looked after the path of the elf after she had gone. He turned back to the hobbits that remained with him and spoke calmly. "Frodo is in good hands," he assured them, picking up his things as they followed him along a path. "He will reach Rivendell sooner than we, and hopefully it will not be too late."

"How do you know she can help him?" Angie asked, trying to keep up. Tears still streaked her face, but she wanted answers. "Why do you place the life of Frodo in her hands?"

"She has elven hands," Strider said, tearing through more vegetation as they walked. "And it is in those hands I would place my own life."

"That does not guantee Frodo's safety from the Riders!" Sam said.

"Arwen will deliver him to Lord Elrond in Rivendell for him to be healed," the Ranger said. "Asfaloth is a fast and agile horse. He will reach Rivendell sooner than you may think." A troubled silence followed. "Hurry," he now said to them. "We cannot linger."

x x x

A long week in the Wild passed in silence. The four hobbits thought of nothing but what had become of Frodo at first, but the monotonous walking soon led their minds to wander. Sam was eager to get to Rivendell not only for Frodo, but he wanted to see more Elves. That beautiful Elf that had come and taken Frodo made him even more curious. He had waited his whole life to see them, and just seeing one was amazing. He wanted more. Pippin was walking with Angie who was still very quiet and uneasy. He was often the one to try and talk to her. Merry was just feeling dumb however; the chilly air had him wishing he had brought his scarf as Pippin's stayed close around his neck. He shivered.

Early that morning, the company was travelling on a high ledge. They were about to turn a corner when Strider stopped them. He faced them with a smile. The hobbits looked on, bewildered.

"You have made it," the Ranger said, stepping aside now. The hobbits went around the corner slowly and carefully, eyes coming alive with delight and relief. Angie had never seen a place more enchanting. She felt something warm flow through her until a smile of awe came to her face. She knew exactly where they were.

"Rivendell," she said breathlessly.

"Words don't do it justice," Sam said from beside her softly.

Strider spoke after a moment of admiring it himself. "It is here we will rest, have unsurpassed hospitality, and be reunited with Frodo." He smiled down at the four halflings as their faces filled with a mixture of emotions. "Let us go," he said.

They were welcomed with outstanding accomodation as promised. The hobbits learned through observation that Strider must be a dear friend to them, and they were immediately welcomed into the Last Homely House by a tall, grand Elf. His wise face pulled into a smile, and he greeted them.

"Welcome, dear friends," he said. "My name is Lord Elrond of Rivendell, and I wish your stay here to be the best."

A respectful silence came briefly before Merry spoke up. "Lord Elrond," he said with a small bow, "we would like to see our friend Frodo son of Drogo. He has come here?"

"Indeed he has," Elrond said, anticipating the question. "Arthonnen and Almárean will take you to him." Two tall dark-haired Elves stepped forward with their hands folded neatly in front of them. Elrond spoke something in Elvish to them, and they began to lead the hobbits into the House.

Sam was amazed. The Elves didn't seem to walk; they seemed to glide along the smooth floors of the halls. He admired the beautiful architecture of every little banister, archway, and coloumn they passed, each etched with many defined details. Marble and alabastor were shining in the mid-morning sun as they approached a door and stopped.

The two Elves parted, each taking a door handle and opening a large door for them. Their eyes looked into the softly illuminated room. A large oversized bed was in the center, and a balcony ran the length of the left side of the room. Angie stepped forward with her friends, eyes on the bed. Their walked quickened pace until two were on each side, leaning over it anxiously in hopes to see their friend.

Then, a mess of dark hair and fair face appeared amongst the cream blankets, and Angie sighed, hopping up onto the edge of the great bed. She looked at him in concern. His arms were motionless at his sides draped in a handsome white ornate shirt, and part of a large off-white bandage was visible around his shoulder under the blankets and shirt. Angie looked at it with disdain.

"I don't think he's woken up yet," she said quietly to the others.

"And he won't, for some time."

Angie, Sam, Merry, and Pippin looked up at the voice. Gandalf was standing at the foot of the bed putting a pipe up to his mouth.

**. Please Review .**


	18. The Meetings

(A/N - Hey guys! I'm putting off studying for a WWI test at the moment to update because I have a knack for procrastination. It's early, too, so bleh. I know I'm not going to sit here in a comfy chair of the library and study for the next two hours before class, so here you go! Next chapter from the Lost Log. Wait. I just had a revelation. Nevermind, I'll work on it later, just read on!)

. Reviewers .

x) Erin Wilde - Thank you very much for the compliment! I'm glad you enjoy it so much, and I hope you continue to read! Thanks for the review as well! Enjoy the chapter!

x) jennaalissa - What do you think you wanna write for a story? I can help you if you ever need it (trust me, I am more than glad to be distracted from my homework sometimes, haha). If you keep having problems, just sign up for a new account and try that. Anyways, thank you so much for reviewing! You've stuck to the story which is great to see! Read on!

x) Jack.Sparrow.1245 - Thanks! I hope you keep enjoying the story as you always do! Please continue reading, and thanks for your review!

x) jenny gryffindork. - Yes, I heart writing Angie and Frodo when they are younger, lol. There's lots more of that to come if I ever get to keep writing it! I have a whole plot coming soon in the top portion and everything! Thanks for your review and kind words, and read on my friend!

x) bdrake07 - Aw, you make me feel bad, lol. I promise to try and rekindle this thing as soon as I can. For some reason, I just felt for a while like I wasn't writing up to par, and it wasn't right for me to post crappy chaters when you're all so used to excellent ones. So, I will be hit with inspiration soon! I can feel it! Haha... Thanks for the review and keep reading!

x) Padme4000 - Glad to hear it! Thank you for reviewing! Hope you enjoy this chapter, too!

.:: Alas, WWI is terribly sad, but interesting. Sad to see what high levels of male tesosterone can do to a world, huh::.

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Eighteen .  
.. The Meetings ..**

_Morning arrived, though you might not have seen it. Dark clouds still rolled across the sky, though the heavy rain had stopped for an hour or so. Brandy Hall was a bustle of activity after second breakfast, but a worried Esmeralda Brandybuck was preoccupied with her thoughts. Her husband walked by puffing at his pipe, and he stopped beside her with a concerned look._

_"What's the matter?" he asked._

_Esmeralda continued to wring her hands uneasily. "I can't find them," she said. "Not one of them. Merry, Pippin, Frodo, Angela... they weren't at breakfast. I went upstairs to rouse them for second breakfast, but they weren't in their rooms at all."_

_"They probably just went outside," Saradoc said. _

_"I hope not! It was pouring rain all through the night! It was a dreadful storm!"_

_"It's not raining now," her husband said, looking out into the gardens. "See! Here they come now!"_

_Esmeralda wheeled around, and she looked relieved to see the four small hobbits approaching the Hall's huge open arch from the gardens. She walked closer, but as she did, she saw Angie and Frodo and Merry and Pippin glaring almost apologetically at one another before they continued to trudge inside. Their feet were muddy, their clothes were ruined, and their hair was hideous. She ran up to them, not sure whether to be angry or understanding._

_"What happened?" she asked increduously, kneeling in front of Merry and feeling his wet clothes. "Where were you? Why are you in such a sorry state?"_

_"It's a long story, Ms. Brandybuck," Pippin said quietly, running a hand through his own messy hair. _

_She looked down the line at them; Angie's red hair was a tangled mess, and her dress was wet and muddy and torn, therefore a complete loss. Frodo's cheeks were bright red under his shag of dark hair, and Esmeralda feared he might have caught a cold out in the rain. Pippin was the muddiest of them all; the mud caked in his hair was already beginning to dry some. Merry looked absolutely misreable, sniffing and wiping his nose on his dirty sleeve._

_"Oh no, no, don't do that," Esmeralda said gently, lowering her son's arm. She sighed, looking them over again. "I guess we'll need four hot baths prepared," she said. "Saradoc! Berlimac! See that it's done!" she shouted over her shoulder. She rose from her bended knee, placing an arm around Merry as they walked. _

_"How do you always manage to get in this much trouble?" she sighed. "I was so worried about you. You hadn't come for breakfast, and you weren't in your rooms when I came to get you for second breakfast-"_

_"Is there any left?" Pippin asked hopefully._

_"I'm sure we can get you something to eat," Esmeralda said with another sigh. "For now, we have to get you cleaned up, though. How long have you been outside? It must've been all night by the looks of you!"_

_At her own joke there was no answer from the four young hobbits. She looked down at them fearfully. "You were out all night?" she asked slowly._

_"Not on purpose," Merry muttered._

_"What were you doing out in that storm?" she asked. _

_"We got lost in the woods," Angie said. "And we took shelter under a tree while it rained."_

_"It sure doesn't look like it!" _

_"Well, we slipped and rolled down a bank, too, after we found each other," Frodo said. "Pippin fell a few times."_

_"So I see," Esmeralda said, glancing at the mud-covered Pippin. "Well, you're all going to need new clothes now. Pippin, I think you might need two baths. and none of you are allowed out of this Hall after dark. Do I make myslef clear?"_

_The four hobbits replied with mumbles and nods of their heads that hung low with shame and embarassment. Esmeralda led them into the bath house. As they stood there waiting, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Angie looked one another over, and a silent truce was made before Merry's mother pulled Pippin away for his first of three baths._

_x x x_

_Dear Sam,_

_I know I have only written about a week ago, but I suddenly had the urge to sit and write to you, so I am. There's not much to tell, though. Merry and Pippin pulled a grand stunt about three or four nights ago. They left Frodo and me in a thick of woods I believe to be near the Old Forest. Then it poured down rain, Sam! I mean it when I say poured! I could barely see in front of me. Frodo and I hid under a tree until the rain let upa little before we got brave and tried to find a way back. Frodo's got a sneeze from that I believe, and he's still got it now._

_Anyway, as we tried to find our way back to the Hall, we crossed paths with Merry and Pippin at a clearing with a small pond. It was us staring at them for a time while the rain still fell, and then, I don't know, but I couldn't control myself! I was so angry, Sam! I pounced on Merry, and a whole battle broke out! The four of us rolled into the pond after a few minutes of poking and kicking, and then we were covered head to toe in mud. It was so exhausting, climbing out of that pond, but we were still swinging at each other until Pippin finally fell over on the path. He was having troubles breathing, and the rest of us were, too. As mad as I was, though, I helped him up, and we worked our way back to camp together._

_Merry's mum was so furious when she found out the whole story. We had our baths and a good meal before Merry and Pippin came out with it, and after that, she bound us to stay in the Hall during nighttime from now on. I understand why, but it takes some fun away. The gardens are beautiful here at night, Sam. I even found these lovely moon flowers I know you would adore, but they are near the edge of the Old Forest where Merry and Pippin had us cornered._

_It's only about two more weeks until my birthday, Sam. I'm very excited, but I do wish I were back in Hobbiton. I miss you and Bilbo so much. Maybe I can somehow arrange to come back and see you for a week or two? I just miss it there. The Fortress is probably feeling neglected. We used to be there everyday. Ever since we've called a truce, Merry's been talking about the Fortress, and I think he's even scouting around to find a replacement while we're here in Buckland. Of course nothing can top what we've go back by The Hill, but I think he's missing Hobbiton, too. I know I am. Frodo's looking the same way on occasion, too. I wish there were some way for all of us to be together. I admit I am getting homesick._

_It's been somewhat uneventful since our night out in the storm, though. The most that's happened involves Pippin starting a pillow fight this morning while we were in my room trying to finish making my bed together. We fell asleep in here last night after an exhausting day cleaning up Merry and Pippin's room. Oh Sam, it's getting worse! We have nothing else to do, so we resort to cleaning! What has come over us? I miss you and Bilbo even more now!_

_Well, I will end my letter to you here. Merry's mum is taking us to the market right now, so I will be dropping my letter off at the post while we're out. Please write back soon. I still await the strawberries, but I cannot wait to hear from you. Again, send Bilbo my greetings. Goodbye, Sam!_

_Angie_

_PS - Has my mother come out of the hole to find me yet? I'm beginning to wonder if she even knows I went missing!_

_x_

_Sam's eyes were alight as he finished reading his second letter from Angie in the passed two days. He hadn't bothered to write back to her just yet - he didn't see why he should. It wasn't that he was being rude, he just had a better reason not to. Angie's birthday was only two days away now.The small hobbit ran from the mailbox outside of the white fence of Bag Shot Row up the path quickly. He passed several other hobbits out enjoying the sunny weather running __in the direction of Bag End. He saw the Gaffer weeding the bed near the large green door and ran up to him._

_"Is Mr. Bilbo home?" he asked._

_"Yes," the Gaffer said, sitting up and wiping his brow from the hard work in the sun. "Samwise, what's the matter with you? I give you the day off and you still show up," he said, returning to his weeding._

_"There's no one here to play with," Sam said. "They've all gone off to Buckland, remember?"_

_The Gaffer mumbled something._

_"Well, I got a letter from my friend Angie," Sam continued. "She's telling me about everything that's happenin' there. Her birthday is in a few days. Says she misses me and Mr. Bilbo."_

_"Why doesn't she come back then?" the Gaffer asked._

_"I reckon she can't," Sam said sadly. "But Mr. Bilbo got a letter yesterday from Frodo who's in Buckland, too, and he says we should go visit. He misses Frodo, too."_

_The Gaffer sat up, staring at his boy in confusion. Sam was a little nervous, but the Gaffer looked amused. "So Bilbo wants to drag you off to Buckland, does he?"_

_Sam nodded uncertainly._

_"And you want to go?"_

_Sam nodded again._

_"Miss your friends? Getting lonely?"_

_"Yes, sir," Sam finally said quietly._

_"How long do you want to be there?"_

_Sam wanted to stay with them until they returned, but he knew he couldn't. He looked up at his father guiltily, but he just smiled, patting Sam on the shoulder._

_"You have fun," the Gaffer said. "I'll see you next summer."_

_Sam's face lit up, and he bounded into Bag End where Bilbo was waiting excitedly inside the door._

_"Well? What'd he say?" he asked quickly in a hushed voice._

_"I can go!" Sam blurted out._

_"Great!" Bilbo said. "We'll wait for the carriage, stop by Bag Shot Row, get your things, and be off!"_

.. x x x ..

Sam, Angie, Pippin, and Merry looked at Gandalf in awe before smiling. Gandalf was there! He was completely unharmed! But at this, their smiles quickly faded. Unharmed?

"Gandalf! You're all right!" Merry said.

Gandalf nodded slowly, blowing a blue smoke ring from his mouth.

"But why weren't you in Bree?" Angie asked in confusion.

"Why were _you_?" Gandalf asked her sternly. "Did I not forbid you from leaving the Shire?"

Angie's eyes went wide. She had forgotten. All this time she had been worried about the Riders, whether or not to trust Strider, where Gandalf had been, and if Frodo was dying from being stabbed on Weathertop. She hadn't given Gandalf's anger at her disobediance a second thought after running into Merry and Pippin along their road to be honest. She couldn't speak immediately, but words finally came to her again.

"I had to come, Gandalf," she said, looking over at Frodo. "I just had to."

"And I wonder what you two are doing here?" he asked, rounding Merry and Pippin.

"We weren't technically supposed to be in on this, but we just sort of fell into it," Pippin laughed nervously.

"Literally," Merry supplied.

"And am I to understand you have been told everything about this venture you have just stumbled upon?" Gandalf asked. Angie felt him looking at her and Sam, but she did not look up.

"No, they haven't told us a thing," Merry said, nodding towards Angie and Sam. "They said you would explain it to us when we reached Bree, but you never came. So we stayed quiet seeing as you never showed up, but now that we're in Rivendell and you're here, too, me and Pip want some answers if we're to be in on it. And we are."

"Fool hobbits and their curiosity..." Gandalf muttered, looking at the floor.

"What?" Pippin asked.

"If you want answers, we'll discuss it over a meal," Gandalf said. "You've come too far without a proper sitting."

Pippin smiled. "A meal sounds fantastic," he said.

"Wait," Sam said. "Mr. Gandalf, sir?"

"Hmm?"

"Is Frodo going to be all right? He still looks terribly pale, and you said he hasn't woken yet. Is... Is he going to wake up again?" he asked carefully.

"The Elves are marvelous healers, Samwise, and Frodo is in the care of the most skilled in Middle Earth. Lord Elrond has been tending to him daily, and he will continue to until Frodo has recovered, if he ever is to."

Angie looked sadly at Frodo's motionless hand and covered it with her own at this. He would never fully recover. Gandalf had just said so. What would the consequencesof this have on them and their journey back to the Shire?

"Come now," Gandalf said softly to them all. "You all need some good nourishment."

"I think I'll just stay here," Sam said after Merry and Pippin had already left the room. He looked down at Frodo, longing for him to wake up as Gandalf turned around at his decisive tone.

"I will, too," Angie said. "I'm not quite ready to leave yet."

"I understand," Gandalf said. "I've been in this room with him since I arrived. But now that you're here to relieve me, I'll send some food here for you." Sam and Angie didn't reply. "Don't look for him to awake yet," Gandalf said. "It will take time."

Gandalf left, and the large doors were closed. Sam and Angie did not speak for some time; their thoughts were keeping them alert enough. Soon, meals arrived for them, and they ate with much gratitude towards the supreme Elven hospitality. After the wonderful supper, they walked out onto the balcony of Frodo's room with a new warmth in them. Angie felt she should be more cheerful, but it was hard to ignore her friend lying in the bed behind her in a serious condition.

Angie and Sam sat on a small set of stairs next to one another. As they picked their teeth with their tongues, they admired the view. Sam finally heaved a sigh.

"Lord Elrond must be a great Elf to have meals like that," he said. "I bet if he came to Bag Shot Row, I could cook him up a good feast, too, but I don't know if he's got a taste for hasenfeffer."

Angie smiled out to the waterfalls shining on the dark green hills.

"You make a good hasenfeffer, Sam," she said. "We haven't had one in a long time."

"I know," he said sadly. He looked over, Angie's smile fading, and he knew why. After a moment, he spoke again and said: "Don't worry, Miss Angie. I'm sure Lord Elrond will heal Mr. Frodo right up, and then we can go back home and have some of that hasenfeffer. Besides, Frodo's a fighter. He was doin' all right up until Weathertop. He'll wake up, you'll see."

Angie couldn't help but to smile at him. "You've always been the optomist, haven't you, Sam?"

"Well, yeah, I guess." He paused. "Is that bad?"

Angie rested her head on Sam's shoulder. "I've never been happier to have you be," she said sincerely.

x x x

Another week passed. Sam and Angie were usually with Gandalf in Frodo's room, and Bilbo to their suprise and delight would often come and sit with them to keep vigil on Frodo. Angie hardly left the room, but Merry and Pippin managed to get Angie out of the room a few times. Her worry subsided a little when she walked through the House with them, visited their stay rooms, and walked around the gardens there. The beauty of this place simply amazed her. They were even reunited with Bilbo upon their arrival which was such a wonderful spirit-lifting thing for them. He had aged much, but he was still the same Bilbo Angie had known and loved since her childhood.

Another night came where Angie did not retire to her own stay room. She fell asleep in a chair in Frodo's room, Sam right beside her. Gandalf roused them in the morning for breakfast, but Angie was still sleeping. She was finally catching up according to Sam, so he volunteered to go fetch their food. Angie woke a few moments after he had left.

"Where's Sam?" she asked groggily, sitting up in the chair.

"He went to get some breakfast while you got some sleep," Gandalf said from his chair on the other side of the bed. He blew another yellow smoke ring from his pipe. "You haven't slept much, and you don't looked very rested."

"I'm just waiting," she said, eyes going to Frodo's bed.

"It still may be a while," Gandalf said. "You can't keep your vigil at all hours."

"I can try," she said stubbornly as she rose from her chair.

Frodo was still unmoved, so she walked over to the balcony aimlessly. She stepped out into the fresh morning, arms across her chest. She walked the length of the balcony, overlooking the gardens and waterfalls. She went up a small set of stairs and stood there for a time just watching everything move. The water fell, the trees swayed, the birds flew, the sun glowed. Soon she lost interest in silently observing her surroundings again. But in the hour she had been standing there, she did feel a little more at ease. Elves seemed to work magic everywhere.

She turned to go down the staircase on the balcony when somebody stepped out of Frodo's room. She stopped as the figure looked at the landscape slowly. Her eyes were wide as its head turned to her. Angie was staring in disbelief. Frodo simply stared back.

"Frodo?" she asked breathlessly.

He smiled, her name coming from him, and she ran down the stairs and across the balcony. His arms were open, and she ran into them, hugging him tightly. Frodo returned it with a warm and content smile. A third familiar face to greet him. Angie pulled away after a few moments of realizing that it was indeed him and that he was awake, but their arms were still comfortably around one another. Frodo kept smiling.

"Are you supposed to be out of bed? Was Gandalf in there?" she asked. Angie took a few steps back to peer into Frodo's room, but it was now empty.

"Yes," Frodo replied, following her. "I was so glad to see him and Sam."

"Well, how are you feeling?"

"I've felt better," he said. His hand travelled to his shoulder. "There is still a pain, and there always will be. Elrond said it will never fully heal."

Angie nodded, having been told the same. "You gave us a horrible scare," she said. "After you were stabbed, you were fading. We were terrified. An Elf came and saved you, brought you here. It'd been almost three weeks, and you still hadn't woke up yet. We didn't know what to think, except the worst," she finished quietly.

Frodo took her hand for comfort. "I don't blame you," he said. "I couldn't think or remember anything after a while. I don't even know how I got here. An Elf, you say?"

Angie nodded. "Just... don't ever do that again," she said, swallowing the emotions welling up in her throat. Frodo merely smiled at her.

"Sam has made that entirely clear," he laughed. Angie's face remained serious, however.

"Good."

Frodo stepped forward, his arm going around her back to soothe her worry as it had times before. She did the same as she admired the scenary before her for the umpteenth time. Things felt a little more at peace now. Frodo was awake, and he was healing. But he hadn't seen this gorgeous picture before as she had countless times.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she asked him.

"Breathtaking," he replied.

"I never thought I would see a place more beautiful than the Shire," Angie said, looking around. "Yet, here I am."

Angie looked at Frodo, and he was staring at her.

"I miss the Shire," he said to her.

"So do I," she said quietly, staring back.

Slowly, they moved closer together, Angie's head finding a resting spot on Frodo's shoulder. She looked down at his hand loosely holding hers. She was still amazed that he was awake.

"Perhaps soon," Frodo said, "we can return home."

Angie sighed, closing her eyes. She felt young again standing close to him. The days of just being in the company of her friends and the Shire. Her faces buried in their shirts from laughter, falling, pillow fights. Just the feel of the shirt brought back a multitude of memories. It was nice, and she now desperately wanted to see home again.

"I hope so," she said.

**. Please Review .**


	19. The Council

(A/N - Heylow everyone. I hope your Thanksgiving was surperbly turkyfied with a great dessert to go with it! Mine was okay. I had a whole nine days home from college, but I did sli[p and fall at work Friday night taking out the trash, and a I really really really sprained my wrist (I still think it's broken). However, I still need to move it a bit, and typing isn't too high impact. So! Here's another chapter from my lost archive! Enjoy!)

. Reviewers .

x) Erin - Yes, I do love writing the flashbacks, and a lot of people like how they tie into the story! I'm glad I had done it! Thanks for the review! Read on!

x) Elwing-Evenstar - Eh, I didn't make the music department and it was a big blow, but I've decided to stop lying to myself and admit that I'd rather do English Ed. At least that way all of my writing builds up towards something! Glad you liked the last chapter and hope you'll like this one even more! Thanks for reviewing!

x) Jack.Sparrow.1245 - Thank you! I have to be careful how much I weave, though; the story is about the focus on the hobbits in the War, not just Angie! Thanks for that and for reviewing, and I hope you like the next chapter, too! Enjoy!

x) Padme4000 - Aww, thanks! Well, here's another to read twice! I hope you like it! Thanks for the review!

x) bdrake07 - Of course Pippin never stops thinking about food, lol. It's Pippin! Thanks for reviewing that last chapter, and have fun with this next one!

x) jeny gryffindork. - Lots more Angie and Frodo to come! (especially if I ever get the chance to continue this story!) Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy the next chapter!

x) jenaalissa - Good luck with your story! I have never heard of the Outsiders, but I shall look it up now! Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy!

x) Katherine-The-Crowned - Glad you like the flashbacks! I love writing them, haha! Thanks for the review, too, and read on!

_- Dis/Claimer -_

**. Chapter Nineteen .  
.. The Council ..**

_Angie was officially fifteen years old, Shire reckoning. _

_Her day was slow to start (given it had just got done raining all night), but the enthusiasm rose steadily. She walked alone down to breakfast in the Hall where she found her friends already eating, and a special place was set just for her between Merry and Pippin. Frodo sat on the other side of the table smiling as they continued to eat breakfast together after Merry and Pippin's overly buoyant rendition of the Birthday Song. Of course, they sang the lyrics of old:_

_'Ha! Hey! To you I say,  
Another time you've passed this day;  
Eat your fill, dance, and play,  
On your merry merry merry merry day!  
We'll sing this jolly tune to you,  
As you start this year a-new;  
The sun is out, the sky is blue,  
Merry merry birthday to you!'_

_Merry's mother told them after their loud celebratory breakfast that they were to be in the gardens that night at nine o'clock, and immediately ideas of a party went about their heads. Angie was actually excited about the idea._

_As the morning grew hot, Merry and Pippin were naturally driven to go out and enjoy the nice weather despite the muddy puddles scattered every few steps. Soon, a game of chase was taken up, and Angie was creeping slowly through the foliage in search of one of her three friends so she might have her turn at running. She wanted to run to begin with, but Merry had to be the sunspot of the morning and say that the birthday girl should be the first to chase. Well, when she found him, she would show him how fast he'd better run..._

_It was silent. Nothing to her right, but a leg was disappearing into the trees on her left. She smiled and chased after it. Pippin, if she was not mistaken._

_She flew into the bushes jumping over a fallen log and lots of twigs to catch up to her prey. Within a second or two, she was right behind him with a mischievous grin she had inhereted from countless adventures with Merry and Pippin. Pippin looked back at this moment, his eyes going wide. He tried to speed up, and Angie did so with a simple laugh._

_"Run faster, Pip!" she hollered._

_He responded with more speed and labored breathing. Angie kept after him, waiting for him to burst, when a hand suddenly jutted out in front of Pippin, grabbed him, and pulled him aside off the path. Angie kept running as she looked back to see Frodo as his rescuer, but she did not see the large mud slick in front of her._

_She slipped, face first. The soft, disgusting ground met the front of her, and she slid a good six feet before stopping. Angie was exhausted and in shock. She slowly sat up on her knees, hearing the laughter behind her from Pippin. The front of her dress was ruined and soaked through while mud slid and dripped out of the hair that hung in her face. She felt like crying in the middle of that mud puddle; her birthday and she falls into a mud hole. Her dress was destroyed, her hair was brown instead of red... _

_Feeling foolish and very depressed suddenly, she hung her head lower in embarassment. Then, slowly, light came through her curtain of wet muddy hair, and Frodo's clean, apprehensive face peered inside with a little smile of guilt. She looked away, feeling very embarassed. Frodo lifted her hair a little more to see her better._

_"Are you all right?" he asked quietly._

_Angie shook her head, just barely. She felt Frodo still looking at her, and soon, his gaze wore her down. She heaved a tearful sigh._

_"Look at me," she said miserably. "It's my birthday, and I'm... covered in mud..."_

_"Oh, come on," Frodo said. "You aren't going to let a little mud ruin your day, are you?" he asked._

_Angie gave him a level look, seeing his expression fitting her situation entirely wrong. He was only doing it for the best, though, she supposed._

_"A little?" she repeated. _

_Frodo couldn't help but allow his smile to grow and a laugh to come out. "It doesn't matter how much mud you've got on you," he said, "because you're still the same underneath it."_

_Angie smiled a little as Frodo laughed again._

_"You see?" he said. "Same smile."_

_She looked at her muddy hands in her lap, feeling her smile want to go out of control._

_"How about you get cleaned up for tonight?" Frodo asked her, still holding the section of messy hair up. "I'm sure you have another dress to wear, and maybe I can see your smile better without all the mud after a nice bath."_

_Angie nodded. Frodo pushed the portion of her muddy hair behind her ear, and Angie did the same on the other side to see better as she gave Frodo her hand and he pulled her up. He slipped a little but regained his balance and she stood up beside him. He looked over at her, but a wallop of mud hit his face, followed by Angie's laughter. He shook his head until most of it was gone, and then he took his free hand and wiped spots out for his eyes. Angie was shaking mud from her hand as she laughed, and he looked insulted._

_"Come on, Frodo," she said. "You're the same hobbit underneath it all." She reached over with her finger, put it to his cheek, and dragged it across his face, over his mouth, until a large white semicircle was on his face. He spat the mud out of his mouth and looked back over at her as she tried to contain her laughter again._

_"Look at that smile," she said jokingly. Merry and Pippin appeared as laughter spilled out of Angie now, and Frodo still looked completely shocked and confused as to why there was mud all over his face._

_"What happened to you?" Pippin laughed._

_"Did you have an accident?" Merry asked._

_"I think he did," Angie said, glancing over at Frodo before laughing more. When he didn't reply, Angie started trudging forward out of the mud. "Come on. Let's get out of this mess."_

_x x x_

_A few minutes later, they were coming up the path to the Hall as they customarily did after a long day outside. They approached the fork that turned into the only path leading to the Hall, and Angie stepped forward. Her eyes were forward, but she heard a cart. A carriage? Something with wheels... _

_She looked over to her right, and right next to her coming from the other path was a large cart holding a load of what looked like colorful logs. The driver of the horses (gosh, they were big!) was a very tall man with a long beard and a blue pointy hat. Angie had never seen such a peculiar thing in all her life! But the hat and the man she could've sworn were so familiar to her. _

_Frodo, Merry, and Pippin had stopped with her, but the cart rolled along. Their eyes stayed on it with curiosity, and-_

_"Look! There they are!"_

_Angie couldn't believe what she saw or heard; Sam had turned around in the cart and pointed at the four of them, and it was his voice. It was Sam! But Sam was back in Hobbiton... Then, Bilbo turned around! Bilbo! Angie's face lit up with excitement and disbelief, and she raced for the cart with the boys in the follow. She made a leap for the cart and made it, Bilbo reaching out to steady her. Pippin did the same, but Frodo and Merry just walked behind, not feeling up to such a stunt at the moment. Sam and Bilbo looked at Angie perplexed, and she just now remembered that she was covered in mud._

_"My dear, is that you?" Bilbo asked._

_"Yes," Angie said. "Our game, yet again, got a little too fun, as you would say."_

_"Fitting statement for the way you look," Bilbo said with a laugh. "And what happened to you, boy?" he asked, looking passed Angie and Pippin to Frodo's muddy face on the path. Bilbo looked just as amused as he did confused._

_"You can blame her for my appearance," Frodo said, nodding up to Angie. Bilbo just laughed._

_"Sam! You're really here!" Pippin said from next to Angie on the cart._

_"I am!" Sam said happily. "I can hardly believe it myself!"_

_"There's so much to show you and tell you," Angie said to him quickly. _

_"Oh, he'll have the time," Bilbo said. _

_"He will?" Merry piped up from the path._

_"Yes he will," Bilbo confirmed, "because Samwise is staying until you return to Hobbition next summer."_

_All of the young faces sprouted smiles, including Sam's. "And there's lots to tell you, Miss Angie," he said. "Well, Happy Birthday first off, and no, your mother hasn't left your hole yet, but I'd imagine she'd realize you're gone by now."_

_Angie laughed, thoroughly enjoying the news._

_"Don't forget about these," the tall man in the blue hat said, passing Bilbo and Sam a large covered basket. Bilbo took it, smiling knowingly at them, and then he uncovered it. Before her, Angie's eyes took in the basket filled with ripe strawberries. Pippin's mouth began to water, and he closed it, immediately reaching for some. Bilbo pulled it away, and Merry and Frodo were now genuinly interested in getting on the cart._

_"Well, I'll be sure not to do that again," Bilbo said, setting the basket out of sight. The boys' eyes stayed on the direction the basket had gone in, however. "Those are for later," Bilbo said. "Big party tonight! Our Miss Ridell has fifteen years now!"_

_"Is that why you've come?" Angie asked, smiling._

_"Could you think of any other reason?" Bilbo asked her. They both broke into laughter together, and he said, "There's no reason better, and we'll leave it at that!"_

_"Bilbo, who is that?" Frodo pointed to the tall man in the blue hat. Bilbo smiled and leaned forward, and the small hobbits did so with interest._

_"That," he said, "is Gandalf the Grey."_

_"You mean... from your stories?" Merry asked. "That Gandalf?"_

_"The same," Biblo said, happy to see them looking at the wizard in wonder. Suddenly, the blue hat turned, and a long beard came into view. Angie, Merry, Pippin, and Frodo were in shock; he was the wizard from Bilbo's stories! _

_The wizard winked at them playfully before turning back around leaving questions furiously buzzing in their heads._

.. x x x ..

Things, as they customarily are after someone's return to everyday life, were cheery with reunions for Frodo. His friends were so relieved to see him up and walking, the wound no longer taking center stage as much as it had been. Frodo was much relieved himself to see that Gandalf was all right after not meeting them at Bree, but Gandalf told them that even his words were not certain in this time that they shared with the Ring. It didn't leave Frodo feeling too comfortable for things had almost always been certain to him, but again, spirits around the Elven haven were lifted dramatically with Frodo's unlikely rising.

A feast was held that evening in his honour, and Frodo attended in fresh new garments with Gandalf to lead him through the vast halls. Many races had attended for there was some order of business to be taken care of the next day, but Frodo did not know the nature of the subject, nor did he care to at the moment. He sat and enjoyed the feast with Angie opposite him at the table telling him all about the doings of their journey since he had last been awake. He was full of interest as she spoke of Arwen (who was at the head of the table with Elrond), evading the Riders to Rivendell, and Bilbo.

Frodo was ready to question her more when the feast was dismissed, and the guests were redirected to another part of the House called the Hall of Fire. A large, warm fire was built in it, and the other lights were dim; Frodo immediately felt calm. The room had an underlying lull of peaceful thoughts to it, and the the room was famous for songs and tales. Angie and Sam stood with him as the room steadily filled with the content feast attendees.

After a few minutes, Frodo caught sight of a silhouetted figure by the fireside. "Who is that?" he asked curiously.

Angie's eyes narrowed as she leaned closer, and a smile came to her. She turned around to Frodo, took his hand, and she led him and Sam over to the sleeping figure with delight.

"What are you doing?" Frodo asked, trying to pull back. "I only inquired who he was!"

"You know who he is, Frodo," Angie said. She halted him in front of the figure, let her hand slip out of his, and stepped aside with a beaming smile as he inspected the figure. In the middle of his process, though, Angie accidently knocked over the figure's drinking cup, and it clanked loudly on the floor, sending the figure in the chair shooting awake.

He sputtered and blinked and coughed, trying to regain his sense of reality, and when the firelight properly hit this dark face, Frodo's eyes widened in amazement.

"Bilbo?"

The aging hobbit looked up and studied Frodo. He looked at Angie and Sam as well, but he really concentrated on Frodo. His confusion melted into happiness, and his arms outstretched more eager than ever towards his nephew. Frodo laughed and fell into them laughing.

"Frodo, my lad," Bilbo sighed. "So you have got here at last."

Sitting up, Frodo asked him: "Why weren't you at the feast? I've missed you so much!"

"I'm sure these two have told you I have been to see you daily since your arrival," Bilbo said, nodding to Angie and Sam, "but I've been sitting and thinking! And it has been so rewarding! I've put my entire adventure to song."

"Have you?" Angie asked excitedly. "Can we here it?"

Bilbo agreed, and, with the help of Strider, they sat around him and listened with much interest as if they were young and in Bag End again. Tales of their recent journeys were exchanged; how Bilbo had made it from Hobbiton to Rivendell and how Frodo had done the same. The three young hobbits told Bilbo of all the doings in the Shire in turns and together. Talk was cheerier and lighter than Frodo's memory could recall for a long time, and it almost felt as if nothing had happened. He even forgot about the Ring during his hours in the company of his friends and uncle.

But drowsiness soon set in, and Bilbo noticed it before any one of them would acknowledge it.

"At last, I think, you have all lost your vigor," he said amusingly late after the Hall was decently empty.

"Tired, yes," Frodo said. "But vigor, no! I would very much like to stay and talk with you for many more hours, Bilbo."

"So would I," Bilbo said understandingly. "But it is difficult to keep awake here, until you get used to it. There will be plenty of time for us to talk again. You are still in the early stages of healing a wound that should have killed you, so you will not be leaving any time soon."

"He's right," Sam said. "Besides, there's a Council tomorrow, I hear, and it is only your first day awake."

Frodo glanced over at Angie who looked to agree with them also, and at this, he rose with them, and each of them bid Bilbo a good evening, and they went to their rooms for a night of well rest.

x x x

Unlike Frodo, Angie awoke late the next morning. It was nearly half passed ten in the morning, and once dressed in another provided garment from their hosts, Angie wandered through the quiet halls of the House. No one was to be found, and Angie began to wonder if she was in fact still sleeping.

Until she passed over the porch at the back of the house.

Many people of different races were gathered there, and Angie suddenly remembered them talking of a Council the previous night. Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, Strider, and several other people she had met the night before were there. She leaned out curiously against a beautiful stone pillar to try to hear any of their conversation, but it was unsuccessful from the height of the balcony. Then, a thought dawned on her - where were Merry, Pippin, and Sam if they weren't with the Council?

As she walked off to find them, she looked out at the landscape again. They were probably wandering through the land at this moment without her, and a small feeling of offense passed over her. It came and went briefly, and she decided just to catch up with them.

Her path took her by the arch that lead to the meeting on the porch. As she walked by, she spotted the very two she was after. Merry and Pippin were on either side of the arch, each clinging to a pillar with their necks craning out to listen. At this, Angie walked up quickly to Merry and struck him lightly on the shoulder, and he turned around, seeing her in surprise. He grabbed her sleeve and pulled her down, shooshing her.

"Taken up eavesdropping again, have you?" she asked sarcastically.

"Old habit," Pippin whispered from across the opening. "Couldn't resist."

"Where's Sam?"

"Out there," Merry said.

"I didn't see him," Angie replied, trying to look for him amongst the part of the group she could see.

"No, there," Merry said, poitning to a collection of shrubs.

Angie bent her brow. "He's there?"

Merry nodded.

She dismissed the strangeness of the situation. Obviously, Merry and Pippin were jealous that Sam had gotten the better of the two places to listen in on the Council, so she went along with it.

"What have they been talking about?"

"What they're going to do with the Ring," Merry said. Angie was silenced at the dark subject brought up when her mood was so lifted in this place, but Merry continued. "They say the only way to get rid of it is to take it to Mount Doom in Mordor and drop it in the fires there."

She was getting a sinking feeling in her stomach; the convesation reminded her of the one she and Sam had listened to a few weeks ago to under Bag End's windows between Frodo and Gandalf. The subject kept coming up more frequently, and it was bothering her.

"Why? Can't they break it?"

"No. It has to go into the fires from which it was made, or so I've been hearing," he explained.

"Oh. I remember that..." she said uneasily.

"They've been arguing over who's going to take it there, though," Merry continued. "From what they've been saying, it's going to be tricky with avoiding the Riders and other spies. I guess there's armies coming out of Mordor for it now, too, so whoever does it gets to go around that."

"And who is taking it?" Angie asked.

"I will take it!" a voice cried out amongst the shouts on the porch suddenly.

Silence follwed, and Angie, Pippin, and Merry looked out curiously at the familiar voice. In disbelief, Angie saw Frodo standing in front of these many peoples agreeing ot take the Ring to Mordor. Her heart skipped a beat, and she briefly felt light-headed. Surprise was ruling over all of her emotions at that moment however, and she turned to Merry.

"He can't go to Mordor!" she whispered in outrage and fear. "He's still healing! If they send him out now, the riders will find him!"

"Well he's not going alone," Merry said, watching other people line up with Frodo as Sam popped out of the bushes now to rush in. "Especially not without us."

She was now beginning to understand as Merry stood up from beside her.

Frodo _was_ taking the Ring to Mordor.

"Wait!"

"We are coming, too!" Pippin shouted as he and Merry ran out.

And she was going with them.

Angie, feeling very torn with an inevitable sense of loss overtaking her either way, ran out immediately after them without a word (her entrance was drawing enough attention!). She stood between Merry and Frodo as neatly as possible, and Frodo eyed her as Merry and Pippin made it clear that they were coming.

"What are you doing?" he whispered to her.

"I'm coming," she said, avoiding eye contact with him.

"But-"

"Ten companions," Elrond's strong voice suddenly said over them all with thought. "So be it!"

Angie felt the finality in his voice remind her strongly that for a while she was not going to be returning home so soon as she had wanted so much. Plans for her jam shop, tending to her strawberries, enjoying the green of the Shire... She would still be in the company of her friends at least, but it was different when they stood together on the brink of a war they knew not the full magnitude of. This was easily the most difficult thing to do, but also just as easily the only thing she _could_ do.

And she most definately wasn't going back to the Shire without them. She left the Shire with them, she was going to Mordor with them.

Her longing for home was only going to get worse.

She lowered her head as he deemed them the Fellowship of the Ring, and her hopes temporarily vanished and were replaced with the task of helping Frodo on his road to Mordor.

**. Please Review .**


	20. The Dream

**. Chapter Twenty .  
.. The Dream ..  
**

_The cart stopped at the entrance of the Hall, and a group of hobbits came over, including Merry's cousin Mentha. The young girl just about a year younger than her troublesome cousin looked at the cart in awe, especially when she saw Merry come around the side of it._

_"What have you done now!" she asked._

_"I found a wizard in the wood," he said, looking up at the cart, "an old dear friend, a young dear friend, a few ponies, a cart, and... I believe Angie found the mud."_

_Mentha folded her arms acrossed her chest as Merry's mother and father broke through the excited hobbits. They were just as surprised._

_"What is going on here?" Saradoc asked._

_Merry turned around, and the humor in his expression vanished. He stood very still as his parents looked at the cart. Mentha told his parents what he had said word for word, and he felt a little sick at what they might do with him._

_"You found this in the woods?" Esmeralda asked expectantly. She looked at Angie and Frodo. "And a lot of mud, I see."_

_"Don't get mad, Mum!" Merry said. "It was just a game! Besides, I didn't just find the cart, I found Bilbo inside of it! And our friend Sam from Hobbiton! And a wizard!"_

_"Oh, enough," she said. _

_"But they've come for Angie's birthday!"_

_"All of you, inside, now. Angela, Pippin, get out of that thing."_

_"Do you mind if we step inside as well?" a voice asked from the cart. Esmeralda turned, and Bilbo's head popped up from over the cart's edge. She stared before walking up._

_"Bilbo? But-"_

_"And I have two friends accompanying me. One is quite tall, so he may need several beds pushed together in one of the social halls if he is to properly comfortable."_

_At this, Gandalf and Sam walked around the side of the cart and stood behind the four young hobbits with a smile. Gandalf leaned against a large wooden staff with his pointy blue hat and long beard, and the group of onlookers gasped is amazement. Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Angie felt very amiss standing with a wizard behind them, but sam had already gotten use to him, for he did not appear shaken or worried at all._

_"He's the wizard?" Esmerelda asked Bilbo weakly._

_"Looks can be deceiving," Bilbo said cheerfully as he hopped out of the cart. He walked over to his cousin and steadied her as she stared on. "You look faint, dear; maybe you should lie down."_

_"But-"_

_"I know my way around the Hall," Bilbo said, passing her off to Saradoc. "You just rest! You wouldn't want to miss out on tonight! We've brought fireworks!"_

_"Fireworks?" _

_"Uh, Gandalf, if you put your cart over there until later, I think that will do," Bilbo instructed him. "And I will find you a room. Come along, children! Samwise needs to find a bed, too! Excuse me, everyone! Hello! How are you? Oop! Watch yourself, Frodo! You and Angela go straight to the bath house. Want to be presentable tonight."_

_x x x_

_The hobbits of Brandy Hall were all astonished at first to see that Merry had been telling the truth (especially in the company of Pippin), but as Gandalf, Bilbo, and Sam walked around more and more that afternoon, they were welcomed all the same, and preperations began for that night. Merry was very relieved and happy to accepts his mother's apology, as well; he was not in trouble (except maybe for running around out in the mud again). _

_Angie watched the gardens transfrom slowly as she looked out her window throughout the day periodically. Yellow, purple, and red worked their way into the foliage as day slowly made its transition into night, and thankfully, it didn't look like they were going to outdo themselves for her sake. _

_"Have they set out the food yet?" Merry asked._

_Angie turned away from the window to look at him and Pippin seated comfortably on her bed munching on apples with a look of amused disbelief._

_"Ay, I hear there's going to be a big cake," Pippin said._

_"How big?" Merry asked with great interest._

_"I don't know," Pippin said, looking at his apple, "but I'd imagine pretty big."_

_Food... Was it all they really cared about?_

_"My deepest sympathies, Merry, but I see no cake," she laughed. She walked passed Sam who was seated at the writing desk and stopped at the dressing table, which Frodo was gently leaning against. As she gathered half of her hair, tied it up, and turned to Frodo. "What do you think?" she asked. "I'm not one to usually wear ribbons or bows."_

_"You look better than you did earlier," Pippin said before he and Merry broke into laughter together. From the desk, Sam started to chuckle, and when Angie looked at Frodo, his lips were raised in a smile. She looked at him in surprise._

_"I'd think you'd be the last to laugh!" she said, starting to laugh herself._

_"But I was!" Frodo said. Then he forced a straight face and said, "I'm sorry. But it is funny when you think back on it now."_

_"Haha-"_

_Suddenly, a bell sounded from the gardens steadily, and cheers followed. Each of them became alert, and Angie looked over at Merry who was already fumbling with his pocket watch. He opened it, and immediately jumped up._

_"We're late!" he said to confirm their fears._

_Collectively, they ran through the Hall down to the gardens where most everyone was waiting. They stumbled in, receiving everyone's attention, and the five of them straightened up slowly. Bilbo walked up to them._

_"Our guest of honor has finally arrived!" he said, motioning Angie forward. The gardens filled with cheers again as her cheeks went rosy, and sudden burst of green and gold appeared in the sky. Angie looked up after being startled, and she smiled as it diminished into the treetops._

_"So that is a firework," she said with wonder._

_"Not just any!" Bilbo said. "It's one of Gandalf's! Come on everyone! Let's begin!"_

_x x x_

_"I cannot dance with you when you are holding a cake, Pippin!" He and Angie spun around in sloppy circles while he concentrated on not dropping his cake, but it was only making her laugh. Suddenly, Merry grabbed her arm, and they began to swing around together. Then, the music ended for a moment, and she sat down with him at their table. Pippin was standing in the middle of the garden finishing his cake._

_"Well, you sort of got to dance with him," Merry said. "Right now, I think he likes the cake better, though." _

_Angie smiled. The night was almost over, and she had danced with almost everyone. _

_Almost..._

_Angie spun around, putting her knees up on the seat of the picnic table and looking Frodo squarely in the face. He gave her a smile, not knowing what else to do._

_"What?" he asked slowly._

_"I haven't danced with you yet."_

_Frodo, very well aware of the tradition, knew excuses would not work. "You haven't?" he tried instead._

_"No. I had to dance with the wizard and Pippin while he was holding a cake, but I do not remember sharing a dance with you tonight."_

_"Alright." _

_He got up, walked around the table, and extended his hand to her which she accepted readily. Out on the field, a simple tune started, and they began hesitantly, not sure of the level at which the other could dance. Surprisingly, they were both intermediate at it. It was if hobbits had the natural ability to dance born with them. Even the worst dancer could move his feet, but Angie and Frodo were doing quite well together as the song progressed._

_Soon (almost too soon), the song ended. Everyone was told to find a good view of the sky for the fireworks display, and Merry quickly gathered Pippin, Angie, Frodo, and Sam. "Come on! I've got the perfect spot!"_

_"Inside the Hall?" Sam asked as they entered it. "There's no high sky to be seen in here!"_

_Merry ignored the confusion and questions of his friends and plowed forward through the dark halls, intriguing their curiosity so that they would continue to follow him. They turned corners, hit a wall or two, went up some stairs, and entered a room of decent size. Ten beds occupied the room, five evenly spaced on each side of the room. Little night tables were beside each one, and a large arch with light drapes was at the end of the room._

_"What is this room used for?" Sam asked as they made for the arched opening._

_"Larger families that share hospitality with us," Merry said. "Mainly used for weddings, big parties, Lithe, Yule..." Suddenly, they heard the burst of a firework. "Come on! Out here!" Merry shouted, running towards the drapes._

_He parted them furiously and passed through them, the others in his stead. Angie nad sam were expecting another part of the room, but a dark sky with shimmering blue reminents of Gandalf's latest firework came instead. They were out on a large stone balcony to the left of the gardens. Trees were around them, but the view proved perfect when another firework shot shot into the air and burst into red and gold right before them. _

_Angie looked on in amazement and wonder. It was gorgeous from up here! She walked up to the edge of the balcony slowly and sat on its thick ledge. The others were at first hesitant about it, but then they approached. Merry had come through for his birthday surprise (and his happened to be a lot cleaner than Pippin and Frodo's)._

_Frodo sat up beside her with a thoughtful look at the bright colors while Pippin took a seat on her right, and Sam and Merry stood._

_"I told you I had the best view," Merry said._

_"This is truly wonderful, Merry," Angie said with a melted smile of peace. "I wish I could stay here all night, and I think I will."_

.. x x x ..

For the rest of the day after the Council had been dissmissed and passed its ruling, Frodo had made plenty of attempts to talk with Angie about her decision, but all were futile. She sat at the other end of the table during lunch with Sam and with Pippin at supper, and she had gone for a walk with Merry and Pippin around the valley in between that span of time. And now, it was getting late, and his shoulder began to ache; he had nothing much to do but hold his tongue and save his thoughts until morning. Maybe he could try to meet her in the morning outside of her door before breakfast...

x x x

It was very late into the dark night, but Angie hadn't a blink of rest yet. Her decision still plagued her thoughts.

Was it a good decision to make? Of course it was when it came to helping her friend; maybe not when it meant leaving the Shire behind for an unknown amount of time, possibly to never return.

She tried to shove that aspect out of her mind.

Would Frodo be able to handle such a task? If his shoulder and the Fellowship held together through their journey, then yes; but seeing as she didn't have a clear thought on what the level of the risks would be, small bits of doubt crept in to weigh the question down.

_How serious was this?_

She didn't have an answer to that, but her insides squirmed uncomfortablly when she thought about it.

And she couldn't stop thinking about it. The room was getting stuffy despite its spacious interior, and the insomnia was giving her a headache. It was a perfect time in her past to get out and see Bilbo, enjoing the nighttime along her way to Bag End.

Why couldn't she do it now?

Lifelessly, Angie rose from her bed and exited the room into the large empty hall just outside her door. Wind floated through it freely, and she followed the gentle air with her feet falling on the cool stone. The moonlight provided all the light needed to guide her passed open pillars overlooking the north of the river and trees swaying in the breeze as they sent sweet scents into the House. Suddenly, the wind around her died down though, and she stopped to look around. On her right were the doors to Frodo's room.

With a strange impulse, she opened a door and looked in; Gandalf was absent from his rocking chair, and no one was there. She wondered if Frodo had even still been there as she walked in and came up to the grand bed, and his dark hair contrasted with the cream blankets surrounding him to ease her suspicions. The ends of his locks curled in the soft moving air, and his shirt sleeves ruffled lightly. Angie smiled at his peaceful aura, glad that he had found some amidst the restlessness of the night.

Then, Frodo's eyes opened. For a moment, it did not register with Angie that this was out of the ordinary, but she quickly got wide-eyed and turned to go. She had woken him up in the daed of night, and he just saw her watching him. It was awkward, so she was leaving.

"Wait," Frodo said, sitting up on his elbows. She stopped reluctantly. "I want to talk to you."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just didn't see anyone with you and came in to see if you were still in bed."

"Nothing is troubling me," Frodo said. "But I have been wanting an audience with you all day." Angie came back towards the bed as he looked at her meaningfully. "Lie down."

Angie gave an unsure look at his request. He moved down and pushed the blanket down however, and as in the past, she climbed in without a sound, keeping the blanket close to her in the chilled wind. Her head rested onto half of Frodo's pillow, and they faced each other, Frodo with the same expression as before. Angie could sense something wrong with him.

"What is troubling you, Frodo?" she asked almost sadly as she looked his face over. He looked very tired and calm, but his eyes were alert and aware.

"Why did you agree to go to Mordor?"

This is what she was expecting to hear from him. Not that Sam, Merry, Pippin, Elrond, Gandalf, the elf, the dwarf, the warrior from the distant land, Strider, and Bilbo had already asked him...

"Our journey's not finished yet," she reasoned. "Gandalf is about to send me back to the Shire, but he's still trying to figure out how I met with you and Sam after he left Hobbiton."

Frodo stopped talking of the subject there; he had promised before not to ask her to turn back while she came on her own will. They both had enough to prepare for.

"Do you know," he said, "the night on Weathertop before the Riders came, I had a dream."

Angie looked at him in thought. "Of what nature?"

"I'm not sure."

"What was it about?" Angie asked.

Frodo took his time to reply, but there seemed no way to put other than, "I lost the Ring." Angie looked at him with concern, and he finally met her eyes briefly and continued. "There was fire and molten rock. I stood on the very edge of a stone cliff above it all deluded with the heat," he said with a fear growing in his eye. "The Ring was there, but the ledge fell from beneath me. I fell."

He was almost shuddering, and Angie felt herself choking on the taut emotions in her throat. This could very well be his fate, ro the fate of someone else. It now felt so real. She swallowed with no avail in relieving the sting she felt, but she smiled all the same with a small sniff as she found his hand and touched it.

"Come now, Frodo," she said with some difficulty. "Every dream has some good in it." It was more of a plead than a statement, but Frodo relaxed slightly, still staring at the foot of the bed.

"There was good," he said in a dreamlike sense. "I was in Bag End again before the fire."

Angie smiled and shut her eyes at its simple mention, travelling back to laying in front of the fireplace during their afternoon naps on rainy days after lunch. Full, content, peaceful, and warm. She was all of these things here as well, but the feeling was much different. Frodo's voice crept into her memory, bringing her back to Rivendell and all that had been done since one of their afternoon naps in Bilbo's large living room.

"Bilbo was there," he said slowly in recollecting, "and Sam."

The picture was easily shown to her.

"There were looking at maps, and I had just got done writing something... Bilbo mentioned a book, but I don't know what he meant. It was only a dream after all."

"A pleasant one in the beginning it sounds," Angie replied at length. "You see? There is good in everything, even our nightmares."

"It was better than that even."

"How so?"

"You were there."

Angie looked up, amused by this. "I was? What could I possibly be doing in your dream?" she asked.

"Serving carrot cake oddly enough," he said with a smile, looking back up at her. Angie allowed a laugh to pass.

"I suppose cake would make a nightmare better than it seems."

x x x

Two weeks into November, skies were streaked with thin whisps of gray clouds, and nearly all of the golden leaves had met the ground in the cold winds of Rivendell. Light seemed dim and faded even during the afternoon, but it was on one afternoon such as this that Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Angie sat with Bilbo in his room of the House. It had been so long since their last sitting together, and so they devoted another dreary day to the company of Bilbo as they had so many times before.

Frodo sat next to his uncle looking through his completed book with the red binding. He was amazed at Bilbo's accomplishment over the passed few years since his disappearance from the Farewell Party. The whole of Middle Earth he had travelled was documented in a little more than two hundred pages, and there was still a good deal of pages left blank behind it all.

"I spent hours and days and months and years on that dratted book," Bilbo said as he rose from the bench and walked over to his desk where Merry was looking through old notes. "But now, it's finally finished," he sighed. "I spend most of my time with poetry now."

Angie and Pippin were seated on the bed with drawings and sketches scattered around them. They read the notes next to the various Samugs with interest, and Pippin pointed out his favorite - the one he had always imagined as a child when they played out in the green of the Shire.

"Now that you've finished that, Mr. Bilbo, you'll have to have a book of your poems," Sam said. "Including your songs, too."

"Maybe I shall," Bilbo said in thought.

"Have you had any inspiration lately?" Angie asked as Bilbo walked over to them. "To write?"

"Oh, I'm always writing, dear," he said, looking at a picture of Rivendell he had drawn long ago. "My mind has not paused in the longest time unless it is to comtemplate a rhyme or riddle." Bilbo sat his drawing of the Elf haven down and suddenly looked weary as he drifted toward the window, watching the rain fall.

"But I am slowing down ever more," he said sadly with regret. "I am still very witty, but things have not been coming as quickly as they used to. I feel dry and tired."

Frodo kept his eyes in the book as Sam and Angie exchanged glances with Merry and Pippin of concern. Bilbo was aging quickly now that the Ring was out of his posession as much as they did not want to admit, and they knew he felt hands on a clock spinning dreadfully faster everyday. The young hobbits only wished it were true for them as well; all the sooner to get back home and rid of this miserable Ring.

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